MELAKA AS STOPOVER DESTINATION BY CRUISE SHIP ADDS VALUE TO STATE'S TOURISM SECTOR - CM

MELAKA, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- The selection of Melaka as a stopover destination for the luxury cruise ship Genting Dream Cruise presents an opportunity to add value and attract more visitors to the state, in line with the target of attracting 18 million tourists for the Visit Melaka Year 2024 (TMM2024).

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the presence of the cruise ship would enhance Melaka’s reputation as a prime cruise destination in Malaysia and even Asia, encouraging other international cruise operators to also make Melaka a stopover destination.

"To date, we have welcomed 11.25 million tourists and with the support of the Genting Dream Cruise, which will dock in Melaka every Monday for a year, it will surely add more value to the state’s tourism sector,” he said.

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He compared the cruise ship's capacity to that of an aeroplane, saying, "A plane can carry 300 to 400 passengers, but this cruise ship has a much larger capacity. It's like having 10 Airbus A380s landing in Melaka, carrying over 4,000 passengers."

He told this to reporters at the inaugural stopover by the Genting Dream Cruise Singapore-Melaka- Singapore to Melaka at the Melaka Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex jetty here today.

Earlier, Ab Rauf and Resort World Cruises president Michael Goh, as well as 3,881 passengers, were warmly welcomed with the beating of kompang and drums, along with traditional performances representing various communities in the state, after the ship. which arrived from Harbor Bay, Singapore, docked at the Melaka ICQS Melaka about 8.40 am today.

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He said the "2-Night Cruise" package from Singapore-Melaka-Singapore, which began today, will also enhance sea transport services.

As of last October, the ICQS jetty had recorded a total of 47,997 tourists arriving from Bengkalis and Dumai, Indonesia, he added.

"Therefore, the introduction of 52 cruises to Melaka across the Straits of Melaka by Resort World Cruises is expected to bring in 200,000 tourists a year.

“Moreover, the 12-hour anchoring period in the state provides tourists with an opportunity to fully experience the beauty, uniqueness, and historical significance of Melaka," he said.

Meanwhile, Ab Rauf said that in conjunction with the maiden voyage of the cruise ship to Melaka,  the state government would offer incentives including free entry for cruise ship passengers to several key attractions such as Menara Taming Sari, the Museum of History and Ethnography, the Melaka River Cruise, and performances at Encore Melaka.

-- BERNAMA