ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor is looking to attract more Indonesian visitors, particularly medical tourists, with a new ferry link to Batam expected to improve cross-border connectivity and create fresh tourism opportunities.
Indonesians accounted for 79 per cent of the 127,000 international patients treated in Johor in 2025, while about 1.5 million Indonesians visited the state that year.
Indonesian Consul-General in Johor Baru Sigit Suryantoro Widiyanto said the new service linking Puteri Harbour International Ferry Terminal with Gold Coast Ferry Terminal in Bengkong, Batam, would make travel more convenient for visitors from both sides.
He said the route would particularly benefit those travelling to western Batam, an area experiencing growing tourism development.
“For Johoreans travelling to Batam, this provides another option. Likewise, visitors from Batam coming to Johor will find it more convenient to reach attractions such as Johor Premium Outlets and Legoland.
“This will certainly open up new opportunities,” he said after attending the launch of the ferry service today.
The route, introduced by B Ferry, is expected to strengthen tourism ties while creating opportunities in trade, services and local businesses.
Sigit said ferry connectivity remained a major driver of travel between the two countries, particularly between Johor and Indonesia’s Riau Islands.
Of the 11 passenger ferry connections between Indonesia and Malaysia, eight operated through Johor, while the remaining services served destinations in Kalimantan, Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan and Melaka.
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He added that about 25 per cent of visitors travelling from Johor to Batam used ferry services, reflecting strong two-way travel demand.
Sigit said expanding ferry services and restoring direct flights between Johor and Indonesian cities would further boost tourism in both countries.
He cited Bandung, Yogyakarta and Lombok as destinations that had more frequent direct flight connections with Johor before the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, flight services had become less frequent following the pandemic, partly due to rising fuel prices and operational challenges.
He said he understood that discussions were under way on the possibility of reinstating a direct flight connection between Bandung and Johor.
“Having more connectivity between Johor Baru and Indonesia will benefit the tourism sector of both countries. Indonesia is also seeing a lot of international tourist arrivals from Malaysia,” he said.
The new B Ferry route is part of efforts to strengthen Johor-Batam tourism ties while creating opportunities for local businesses, tourism operators and communities on both sides.
Earlier, Kota Iskandar assemblyman Datuk Pandak Ahmad welcomed the first ferry passengers arriving from Batam at Puteri Harbour International Ferry Terminal.