JAKARTA – PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia (Pelni) focuses on running its tourism program by announcing six new domestic destinations in 2015 following the success of two tourism programs namely Raja Ampat and Wakatobi.
Akhmad Sujadi, Pelni Spokesman, explained the firm will keep focusing on developing passenger market outside the promising maritime tourism program. “Maritime tourism opportunity will be worked on only during low season,” he said on Friday (1/9).
The maritime tourism package comprises six packages namely Labuan Bajo-Takabonerate and Wakatobi, Bunaken-Togean-Tomini, Bunaken-Morotay-Wayang-Misool, Banda Naira, Derawan, and Karimun Jawa.
Pelni Corporate Secretary, Yahya Kuncoro, explained the tourism schedule still has to wait for the result of survey team which has been established. “It must refer to Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and has to be conducted during good weather. If the schedule is fixed, we will publish it,” he said.
Referring to countless enthusiasts, Akhmad stated Pelni will add the capacity of six maritime tourism programs in this year. “Perhaps the capacity will be around 200-500 passengers,” he explained. Last year, in a program titled “Let’s Go to Raja Ampat”, Pelni carried 76 people from the previous number of 50 people.
Akhmad said capacity addition for Raja Ampat is conducted due to countless enthusiasts. Even, he told about passengers’ experience preferring to join maritime tourism to Raja Ampat than to other countries.
For this year’s program, Pelni will improve vessel’s toilet and other facilities to support the voyage.
In last year’s two maritime tourism packages, Pelni used KM Kelimutu to Wakatobi and KM Tatamailau to Raja Ampat. When he was asked about this year’s vessel allocation, Akhmad said Pelni must await the result of survey team.
Passenger Drop
Prior to that, Pelni, along last year, carried 4.56 million passengers or a 4.29-percent drop than in 2013 of 4.77 million passengers.
Akhmad said the passenger drop was caused by the implementation of passenger limitation for two-fold from vessel capacity during Christmas and New Year holiday seasons.
According to him, passenger limitation through ticket sale aims to maintain passenger’s security and safety due to high passenger volume during Christmas and Lebaran holiday seasons.
He asserted the policy to limit passenger number will be implemented by the state-owned firm (BUMN) during Christmas and New Year seasons from December 15th to January 15th 2015.
Akhmad added the limitation policy will take effect in 2015 and so on. For commodity volume, Pelni also recorded for hike than last year. Along last year, the volume of commodity including container and four-wheeled vehicle reached 498,458 cubic meters than in 2013 of 494,643 cubic meters. The hike was caused by many holiday seasons.
Akhmad also said his office plans to conduct vessel renovation as conducted by KM Kelud entering special docking process.
According to him, the budget used to finance special docking is around IDR 8 billion per unit for the vessel having 2,000-passenger capacity like KM Kelud. Currently, Pelni has nine big vessels so the BUMN needs IDR 72 billion special docking budget. (Bisnis Indonesia)
