During a panel discussion at CruiseWorld Indonesia 2022, Best Tour and Cruise Centre's president director Johnny Judianto (right) told moderator, Travel Weekly Asia's Xinyi Liang-Pholsena, that he sees growing interest in cruises for Indonesian incentive as well as interest groups. Photo Credit: Travel Weekly Asia
MICE groups in Indonesia are starting to show an interest in cruising
again as Singapore-based cruise ships resume ports of calls return in
Southeast Asia, revealed travel agents at CruiseWorld Indonesia 2022,
which took place in Jakarta on 4 August.
"Indonesian MICE groups were not too interested in cruise programmes
without ports of calls," said Tara Tour's director Paulus Sofyan Gazali,
speaking during a panel discussion at the cruise conference. "But now
that regional ports of calls to Penang and Phuket are back, they are
starting to show an interest again."
Royal Caribbean International's Spectrum of the Seas and Resorts
World Cruises' Genting Dream, which are homeported in Singapore, have
started sailing to Malaysia's Port Klang and Penang since July. Come
October, both ships will sail further north to Thailand's Phuket.
Best Tour and Cruise Centre's president director Johnny Judianto,
likewise, is also already receiving RFPs from Indonesian incentive as
well as interest groups for cruises, although not all have materialised
into bookings. "Some of them don't really know the numbers and they do
not want to risk overbooking until they have the final participant
figures."
A major challenge, according to Judianto, is the current high
airfares between Indonesia and Singapore, which often pushes travel
costs beyond the budgets of incentive groups.
However, the cruise expert is hopeful that airfares will stabilise
and come down in the months to come as flight capacity between the two
countries builds back.
Meanwhile, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) recognises that the
current airfare situation is preventing Indonesian MICE groups from
coming back faster. Pre-Covid, Indonesia was a key market for Singapore
in terms of cruise incentives.
To hasten the recovery of MICE groups, STB's area director Indonesia -
Jakarta office Mohamed Firhan Abdul Salam said the bureau is enhancing
its incentive programmes for international MICE groups through a trio of
support schemes.
For groups above 250 pax, the BEIS (Business Events in Singapore)
assistance scheme offers grant reimbursement for up to 80% of cost.
For groups of 20-250 pax, the Singapore Incentives & Rewards
(INSPIRE Global 2.0) programme provides close to 80 complimentary
experiences, including dining and attractions to thematic tours and team
building, for qualified MICE groups with a minimum two-night stay in
Singapore.
And under the M&I Stars 3.0 scheme, meeting and incentive travel planners will get S$2,000 for every 100 pax accumulated.
"In the recovery period, we do want groups to swing back to
Singapore," said Firhan. "We look forward to working with you to welcome
more groups to Singapore.