The construction of Gilimas Terminal is believed to Raise Tourism

Pelindo III commenced construction of cruise ship docks and containers at Gilimas Terminal, West Lombok District, NTB. The gradual investment value from the development of multipurpose terminals for cruise ships and container vessels reached Rp 1.3 trillion.

"Gilimas terminal built as a development of Port Sheet can indicate that the economy of NTB region is experiencing positive growth trend and become a gateway of modern international tourism for Lombok Island in particular," said Pelindo III CEO Ari Askhara in a press release on Saturday (7/7).

He explained that the increasing trend of international cruise ships and the carrying of thousands of tourists need to be anticipated by preparing adequate infrastructure. That is the reason Pelindo III built Gilimas Terminal with projection to be ready to accommodate the needs in the future.

Ari explained, the dock to be built has a length of 440 meters and 26 meters wide, with the depth of the harbor pool reaches -14 meters LWS (low water spring or average water level). The dimension is believed to be ready for a cruise with a ship length of up to 400 meters long capable of carrying up to 4,000 passengers.

"Or two cruises at once for smaller ones, while Gilimas Modern Passenger Terminal itself has a capacity of about 1,500 people," said Ari Askhara.

Based on surveys of foreign tourist behavior reported by Bank Indonesia, their average total expenditure reached 125.93 US dollars, or about Rp 1.76 million (at an exchange rate of Rp 14,000 per US dollar) per day. Then as an example of Pelindo III's record, the Italian cruise ship, MV Costa Luminosa docked at Shear Port in May, brought 1,677 tourists to tour a number of tourist destinations in Lombok.

"From the estimated calculation of average tourist expenditure per day, then there is multiplier effect billions of rupiah that Lombok people enjoy from every cruise that docked," said Ari.

Ari Askhara added that the construction of Gilimas Terminal by Pelindo III actually extends the momentum of Lombok tourism revival. Especially before President Joko Widodo has inaugurated the operation of KEK (Special Economic Zone) Mandalika.

Seeing the magnitude of the economic potential, Pelindo III hopes the support of all parties, both local governments and investors to collaborate to take advantage of the momentum of Lombok tourism revival. Namely by creating new tourist destinations as well as developing the concept of tour packages so that the growth of tourists to destinations in Lombok can be sustainable.

Corporate Secretary of Pelindo III Faruq Hidayat explained the logistics function of the Gilimas Terminal. In the initial phase, the pier will be integrated with a 6.27 hectare container field facility. So in the next development is expected to accommodate up to about 200 thousand TEUs containers.

"Gilimas terminal will improve the strategic position of Port Sheet as the main logistics gateway on Lombok Island, which is expected to improve efficiency so that it can impact the decline in the prices of consumer goods, as well as facilitate the distribution of commodities sold from there," Faruq said.