by BERNAMA/ pic credit: yongtai.com.my

THE Melaka state government is finalising a profit model that could contribute to the state’s income through the development of a terminal for international cruise ships in Impression City, Melaka.

Chief Minister Adly Zahari said the profit model was important to ensure that the state government would not have to bear some of the costs for the project, including the management cost, as well as to boost the development of the marine tourism industry.

“We are currently discussing the matter with Yong Tai Bhd, and the profit model will be finalised soon.

“Tourists arriving via the cruise ships will definitely be spending their money here, as such, we will need to provide some services for the tourists and the cruise ship industry, which would create a new tourism market for Melaka,” he said.

He told reporters this after the launch of the Sayyidina Ali Al-Quran College in Melaka yesterday.

Yesterday, it was reported that Yong Tai, a tourism and culturalrelated property developer, has secured a contract to develop an international cruise terminal in Impression City, Melaka.

The proposed development will be built on Kawasan Bandar VI, Daerah Melaka, which is part of Yong Tai’s flagship mixed development project with an estimated gross development value of RM8 billion.

Commenting further, Adly said the development of the international cruise ship terminal was in line with the state government’s efforts to strengthen the state’s tourism industry, especially in terms of boosting foreign tourist arrival.

“More than 120 cruise ships pass through the Straits of Malacca annually, but only 60 would dock in Melaka, thus the terminal would be able to boost tourist arrival via the sea route,” he said.

He added that tourists’ security and comfort would also be taken into account, with a wide-range of facility improvements which would support the cruise ship industry.