Aerowisata to open more hotels<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Local hotel and tour operator PT Aerowisata will
\nsoon open a new property and acquire at least two hotels in Bali
\nas part of its expansion plan, a company executive said here on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Aerowisata executive vice director Toto K. Sugiarto said on
\nWednesday the company would open in December the 20-room Pool
\nVilla Club in Lombok, adjacent to its existing Senggigi Beach
\nHotel.<\/p>\n
Aerowisata also will acquire in 2000 two existing hotels
\nlocated in Kuta and Nusa Dua in Bali, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The reason for the expansion is simply because we want to
\nreestablish Aerowisata's image as one the country's most
\nintegrated hotel and tourist operators,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Aerowisata, a subsidiary of national flag carrier Garuda
\nIndonesia, currently manages a total of three hotels in Bali,
\nLombok and Bandung. It previously owned and operated more than
\nfive hotels and resorts nationwide.<\/p>\n
Toto said the expansion of the company's hotel business would
\nalso be achieved through franchising contracts with other local
\noperators.<\/p>\n
The company has signed franchising contracts with two hotel
\noperators in Jakarta and West Sumatra, he said.<\/p>\n
He also said Aerowisata planned to expand its ticketing and
\npromotion business, currently the domain of subsidiary Satriavi
\nTours & Travel.<\/p>\n
\"We're planning to invite foreign travel operators to
\ncooperate in the form of a joint cooperation or joint venture,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The company currently is \"shopping around\" to select future
\nstrategic partners to expand its business in Japan, western
\nEurope, Australia and the United States, he said.<\/p>\n
He said Aerowisata restructured a number of its subsidiaries
\nto make them more attractive to foreign partners, including
\nimproving their human resources and streamlining their
\nbusinesses.<\/p>\n
Aerowisata has two other subsidiaries, the Aerowisata Catering
\nService, which supplies foods and beverages for all airlines
\nflying to and from Indonesia, and Mandira Transportation, which
\nmainly arranges transportation for Aerowisata employees.<\/p>\n
Toto said a successful realization of the company's expansion
\nplan would depend to some degree on the restructuring of the
\nfinancially ailing Garuda.<\/p>\n
Garuda is still working out a proposal to restructure its
\nUS$1.36 billion in debts, mostly owed to offshore lenders. The
\ngovernment pledged last week to inject $62 million annually for
\nthe next eight years to help Garuda pay its aircraft leasing
\nfees.<\/p>\n
Toto, however, said he was upbeat Aerowisata itself would be
\nable generate some of the funds needed for its expansion due to
\nits improving financial performance.<\/p>\n
\"We've been doing very well recently. Our finances are in
\nexcellent condition,\" he said, declining to reveal total turnover
\nbut predicting the company would post a 23 percent increase in
\nturnover from last year to this year.<\/p>\n
Toto said Aerowisata allocated over $1 million for the
\ncompany's restructuring and to develop information technology.
\n(cst)<\/p>",
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