TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia to own the largest cruise port in the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub project that is currently being developed in Benoa. The place will accommodate sea transportations and tourism in the area.

The tourism hub development that is executed by Pelindo III is targeted to finish in 2023. “We hope the development of Bali Maritime Tourism Hub will go as planned,” Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno said when monitoring the project construction, as quoted from the ministry’s press release on Saturday, February 13.

It will become the largest cruise hub in Indonesia which will accommodate ships measuring 350 meters with the capacity of 6,000 passengers.

The maritime tourism hub will also have goods and tourism services. The southern area will become yacht and cruise ports, as well as a theme park, while the northern area will be the energy terminal such as LNG and Liquid Cargo Storage. Meanwhile, the Wet Berth, Dry Berth, Yacht Club, Sports Facility, Lounge and bar, Bali Fish Market, and the MSME retails will be placed in the western part of Benoa.

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It is expected to be able to boost 427, 723 domestic tourist visits and 133,777 international tourist visits in 2023. It will also open jobs for 20,000 people and open the opportunity to exhibit and sell MSME products.

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Chairman Rosan P. Roeslani said the infrastructure construction related to tourism must go on amid the Covid-19 pandemic, “We know that Covid-19 will end,” he said. In addition, Indonesia is a maritime country that needs an international-standard marina.

Bali Nusa Tenggara Pelindo III CEO, I Wayan Eka Saputra, said the progress of the development has reached 10 percent since it was started in mid-December last year. Wayan said that in 2019, there were 67 cruise ships that brought 65,000 tourists, but the number dropped in 2020 to only 25 units. In addition, the ships were only leaned for eight hours, cutting the time to travel in Bali.

Through the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub, travelers will be able to spend more time to do more activities and enjoy more attractions. “We hope this will be advantageous for the public and the tourism industry in Bali,” I Wayan Eka Saputra remarked.

Rini Kustiani