Getting closer to completion of cruise marina, Karangasem as a tourism destination has to prepare itself to make benefit from tourists visiting Bali on cruise ships. There have been many cruise agents asking about completion of the marina so they can put it in their schedule. The Regent of Karangasem, Wayan Geredeg exposed the situation during his roadshow on socialization of his development programs at Selat district.
He further informed that completion physical construction of the marina has became a commitment of both the central government and the provincial government of Bali, therefore his administration is heating in preparing supporting infrastructure, so Karangasem can take maximum benefit from the presence of the new marina. “The route between Putung and Manggis will become a tourist route to agro-tourism where tourists can taste snake-skin fruit wine, a new tourism icon which will be launched in Nusa Dua whist awaiting for approval from the drug and food supervisory board”, the Regent explained.
He further explained that analysis conducted by a number of travel agents as well as Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRI) concluded that there will be more tourists coming to Bali on cruise ships, and therefore building a marina at Tanah Ampo is considered a strategic step.
To maintain continuous business pace, the marina investors will operate jetfoil for public transportation, which will keep the marina busy on the days when no cruise ship lands.
With regard to snake-skin fruit, Regent Geredeg informed that still this year an processing machine will be imported from Australia aling with proparing investor, appointing distributor, supervision mechanism, and distribution system of raw material.
Karangasem is also planning to have representative art market built to international standard which will also presents traditional art performances.
Regent Geredeg expressed his appreciation to his people for significant decrease in poverty, from 3,629 poor household down to 2,883. Selat has been showning significant increase in ecomomic activity. Among other indicators is increasing price of land up to 100 million rupiah per are (100 sqm). Still on poverty alleviation, he exposed that his administration has been working hard to push poverty level by at least 30% to the end of 2010. By procentage Karangasem recorded 16% of poverty decreasement, higher than national average of 15%.
