Foreign tourists on cruises

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Cruise ships carried 20,442 foreign tourists to West Nusa Tenggara in 1996, a sharp increase on the 12,253 foreigners that cruised to the province in 1995, a provincial official said yesterday.

"The tourists arrived here aboard nine cruise ships, including the Panamanian Renaissance, the MV Italia Prima and Germany's Brehment," the provincial tourist office's head, Rachmad, was quoted by Antara as saying.

He said the local administration had been trying to fast track the construction of hotels and tourist resorts to supply more accommodation. (swe)