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TOURISM Ministry through Deputy Tourism Minister, Ni Luh Puspa recently highlighted Indonesia’s potential to emerge as a global cruise hub.
“We look forward to collaboration with global cruise ship operators to make Indonesia the home port for international cruise ships,” she said at Benoa Port, Bali.
She added that the government is committed to advancing maritime infrastructure and preparing progressive policies to realize the vision. One of the ports supporting cruise ship tourism is Bali’s Benoa Port, which is continuing to improve facilities. Last week, the port managed to serve three jumbo cruise ships at the same time.
In addition to docks and other facilities, Benoa Port also has a channel and pool depth of minus 12 low water spring (LWS), allowing large cruise ships to dock at its pier, which spans 500 meters in length.
Based on data from port operator Pelindo Regional 3 Benoa Port branch, in 2024, the port served 59 cruise ships, an increase compared to 48 cruise ships in 2023. This year, the port is estimated to record 77 cruise ship visits.
“The maritime tourism sector is expected to contribute significantly, one of which is through Benoa Port in Bali. Home to 75% of the world’s maritime diversity, she added, Indonesia has great potential to attract tourists interested in marine tourism,” Puspa informed.
She explained that Indonesia is targeting 14.6 million to 16 million foreign tourist visits in 2025. To achieve the target, cross-sector collaboration, including with local governments, such as Bali, is needed.
Bali attracts a significantly large proportion of foreign tourists. In 2024, it recorded as many as 6.3 million foreign tourist arrivals, an increase of 20.1% compared to 5.27 million arrivals in 2023, based on data from the Bali Central Statistics Agency (BPS). Meanwhile, foreign tourist visits to Indonesia were recorded at around 13.8 million in 2024.
“As much as 45% of the total foreign tourist visits to Indonesia are contributed by Bali. In addition to Bali, tourists can also explore marine tourism in Labuan Bajo and Raja Ampat,” she pointed out. [antaranews]
