TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno announced that cruise tours from Singapore will return to Indonesia starting July 2022. During his visit to the neighboring country, Sandiaga met with the largest cruise operators and initiated sailings in the archipelago.

“We’ve held a meeting with cruises managers and made several agreements to kick start cruise tours this year. This is big news and is a very strategic, very significant measure to revive Indonesian tourism,” said Sandiaga in his statement, Wednesday, June 1, 2022.

He said Royal Caribbean and Resorts World Cruises committed to reorganizing sailings, which include Batam Island and Bintan Island in Riau, Surabaya in East Java, Bali Island, Belitung Island, and Lombok Island in West Nusa Tenggara. Next year, the sailings to Belitung and Lombok will be added.

“This is a win-win program because it will promote Indonesia’s priority tourist destinations which will open up business and job opportunities that are much needed in the recovery of our tourism sector,” the minister remarked.

Genting Dream from Resorts World Cruises will begin sailings in July and December 2022 with 1,700 rooms out of the total capacity of 3,500 rooms. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean Cruises with 4,800 rooms will cross Benoa and Lombok.

“Hopefully, we can sail to Labuan Bajo and several other leading marine destinations,” said Sandiaga, adding that he will join the inaugural sailing next month.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s Resorts World Cruises Chief Operating Officer, Raymond Lim Jiun Yan, said his side is ready to return to sailing in Indonesian waters and expected no significant obstacles during cruise tours with the help of Indonesian regulations.

Ninis Chairunnisa

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