This quote was brought to my attention as I considered the current industry-wide chaos experienced by the International Cruise Industry and the opportunities to help rebuild the Indonesian Economy in the midst of the chaos.

Based on more than two years of experience in management of the cruise industry This editorial suggests Indonesia has a unique strategic opportunity to be a major cruise hub in the world.

Indonesia is an International Cruise Hub

We believe that Indonesia to be an ideal Indonesian island cruise location. Indonesia encompasses a 5,150-kilometer area that straddles the distance between the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans. The geographical area of Indonesia is roughly equal to the distance between Seatle Island and Bermuda Islands. Indonesia boasts a staggering 17,508 islands, 60 percent of which are inhabited. There are also numerous ports of call as well as cruise ports.

It's crucial to know that not one person has ever managed to spend a single day on every Indonesian Island. If you do not calculate the time it takes to travel between islands, the Odyssean search could take as long as 48 years.

Unparalleled Variety of Cruise Stops

The Indonesian national motto "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" or "Unity in Diversity" is a reference to the selection of fascinating cruise stops available to cruising Indonesia ships that would spend time and explore the archipelago. The islands of the Republic are home to complex and ancient civilizations - societies that built the 9th century Borobudur Temple and the megalithic Gunung Padang site in West Java that dates as far to 20,000 BCE.

Indonesia - The Emerald Equator

It is the equatorial nation of Indonesia and offers some of the best cruising conditions in the world. The country is located primarily within the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which sailors call "the doldrums". The region is characterized by "calm weather" throughout the year. There are two seasons to the year: the "dry" that falls between May and October and the "wet" between November and April. While rainfall is plentiful in some areas of Indonesia during the "wet," it's rare for it to rain for days-on-end, still allowing daily shore programs on ships to go on in the same way as they plan.

A further good news for passengers on cruise ships and their crews alike: Typhoons and large scale storms tend to extend in the south and north of Indonesia's main geographical borders. Strong, swift currents are found in the north-south straits that punctuate the archipelagic chain of islands, they do not pose a challenge to modern cruise ships.

The Global Cruise Industry: Current Situation

The approximately 272 vessels that were operating around the globe during the outbreak that erupted during the first months of 2020, were particularly impacted. Because confirmed instances of COVID-19 were prevalent among ship passengers, which included the elderly who are most at risk of contracting the disease, ships were quickly identified as "clusters infected".

A number of ships were forced to change to five-star refugee vessels when the new coronavirus became widespread. These vessels were constructed to resemble the "Flying Dutchman", that was destined to cruise across the oceans for an eternity. Crew and passengers were frequently housed in the quarters of their ship for several weeks or even months waiting to be allowed to leave and return to their families.

An Opportunity for Indonesia?

We believe that the current upheaval that is affecting the cruise industry globally presents a unique opportunity to Indonesia to strive to be an international cruise destination and become a major force in the country's economic growth.

Posted by: TiaiMcgee at 05:58 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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