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Lake Toba gets new ferries and ports to spur tourism
The area is one of the government's five “super priority” tourism development destinations, as well as the site of a tragic boat accident in 2018.
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurates seven ferry ports and four ferries at Ajibata Port in Toba, North Sumatra, on Feb. 2, 2022. (BPMI Setpres/Lukas)
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our new ferries and seven new ferry ports have officially begun operating in Lake Toba, North Sumatra, as the government works to boost tourism in one of the five so-called “New Balis”.
On Wednesday, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurated the ports of Ajibata and Balige in Toba, Tigaras in Simalungun, Simanindo in Samosir, Marbun Toruan/Baktiraja in Humbang Hasundutan, Muara in North Tapanuli and Tongging in Karo.
He also launched four ferries (KMP): the KMP Pora-Pora, KMP Kaldera Toba, KMP Asa-asa and KMP Jurung-Jurung.
"The operation of these ports and ships will support access to various places on Lake Toba so it will be easier, faster and smoother," he said at an inauguration ceremony.
The area surrounding the 1,145 square kilometer lake is one of the government’s five “super priority” tourism development destinations. The others are Borobudur in Central Java, Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara and Likupang in North Sulawesi.
The government expects the five destinations, along with Bali itself, to attract domestic tourists this year to help the regions’ pandemic-beaten economies.
Lake Toba was also the site of a tragic boat accident in June 2018 that killed 164 people after an overloaded vessel capsized, reportedly in bad weather. The incident raised alarm about boat safety in Indonesia and dealt a blow to tourism in the area the following year.
