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Indonesia escalating development of marine tourism
Setting out an ambitious policy for marine tourism, the Indonesian government hopes to attract up to four million tourists a year by sea in 2019.
“Our target is to lure around 4 million foreign tourists to our marine tourism destinations in 2019, but for a start we are aiming at hosting at least 1.3 million this year,” said tourism minister Arief Yahya.
In 2014 the country welcomed one million marine tourists.
Indonesia has strategic tourism areas focused on yachters and small ship cruisers in Tanjung Lesung in West Java, Bunaken in North Sulawesi, Raja Ampat in West Papua, Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi, Komodo Island in East Nusa Tenggara and the Thousand Islands in Jakarta.
It aims to boost these with additions at Moyo Island in West Nusa Tenggara, Bandaneira in Maluku and Cenderawasih Bay and Biak in Papua within the next five years.
The ministry will also hold 10 sailing events this year, including Sail Indonesia, which takes place in June.
Underpinning the marine tourism development program is an escalation in port infrastructure.
State-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia will start work next year on a new port facility for yachts and cruise ships at Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara while the Indonesian Tourism Promotion Board will start marine tourism marketing campaigns in key markets such as China and Japan.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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