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4.2 million passengers served at Batam Port in H12024
Front Row (The Jakarta Post) August 5, 2024
A shopping mall in Batam City, Riau Islands. (The Jakarta Post)
Some 4.2 million passengers traveled through Batam’s domestic and international ferry terminals in the first half of 2024 (H12024), an increase of 6 percent from the same period last year.
Some 1.9 million ferry passengers were served at the Domestic Ferry Terminal and 2.3 million passengers were served at the International Ferry Terminal. Of these, 1.75 million passengers were traveling to or from Singapore, while 550,000 passengers were traveling to or from Malaysia. This brought total passenger activity to 4,284,570 people.
“At the International Ferry Terminal, the data shows that 76 percent of passengers were traveling to and from Singapore,” Batam Free Trade and Free Port Zone Development Agency (BP Batam)'s Batam Port Business Entity (BUP) Director Dendi Gustinandar said.
“In 2023, for the first half, the total number of passengers arriving and departing via the domestic and international ferry terminals was 4,033,965 people,” he added.
The main factor making Singapore a favorite destination is the city's appeal as a business hub, along with its shopping and attractions. Batam, meanwhile, offers attractions for tourists that are equally appealing, such as affordable culinary experiences, entertainment, shopping, and wellness services.
The increase in passenger traffic was due to the growth of Batam's economy at a rate of 7.04 percent in 2023, supported by adequate infrastructure, the safe and conducive environment in Batam, and the ease of exploring the city for both local and foreign tourists.
Source: www.thejakartapost.com
