Bali Needs a Yacht Marina

(7/10/2010)

Legislators from Denpasar's House of Representatives (DPRD-Denpasar) have renewed the call for the construction of a yacht harbor or marina in Bali in order to encourage sea tourism.

Quoted by Radar Bali, a member of the Golkar faction, I Wayan Sugiartha, has fashioned the call for the construction of the yacht basin into a party platform reflecting what his party sees as an unexploited potential for tourism revenues.

While many point to utilizing a portion of the Benoa harbor complex for yacht tourism, Sugiartha prefers to leave the selection of a final location in Bali for the project to a process examining all of the options. "As regards location, we need a comprehensive study able to empower Bali's coastline," he added.

Saying the need for a marina is very important, the legislator points to the potential of increasing provincial incomes and adding to Denpasar's appeal as a tourism destination. Other benefits include increased employment opportunities, berthing fees, fresh water sales and various fees paid by visiting yachtsmen.

A sore point for legislators is a widely shared perception that the Benoa Port Authority (Pelindo) makes a minimal contributions to the local economy. This is due, in part, to the fact that past calls for Pelindo to develop a marina for Denpasar have gone unanswered.