Riau Islands Want Sea Ports Reopened for International Tourists
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22 October 2021 05:57 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Tourism Office of Riau Islands is asking the government to reopen the province's sea ports for international travelers. Like Bali, Riau Islands has welcomed foreign tourists again since October 14. But the policy has not brought back international travelers to popular destinations such as Batam and Bintan.
For now, international arrivals are only via Hang Nadim International Airport. But according to the province's Tourism Office chief, Buralimar, foreigners usually come to Riau Islands via sea ports.
"In Batam, it's not the same as Bali. Bali relies on its airport, whereas in Batam the Hang Nadim Airport is rarely in use, except when international tourist groups book chartered planes," Buralimar said on Wednesday, October 20.
Therefore, Buralimar asked the central government to consider reopening international sea ports in di Batam, Bintan and Tanjungpinang.
Batam and Bintan, he said, needs seaports to attract foreign tourists, such as Singaporeans or other foreign nationals vacationing in Singapore and going on day trips to Batam and Bintan by sea.
"The problem now is that Singapore is still not allowing its citizens to travel abroad. The same as Malaysia; many came to Riau Islands before the pandemic.
Read: Riau Islands to Be Opened for Singaporean Tourists
Antara | Graven (Intern Translator)
