Banten area expects tourist boom to start next year<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post in cooperation with PT Banten West Java
\nTourism Development Corporation, will be presenting weekly issues
\nover the next six months on the attractions and activities of the
\nBanten region.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): West Java's Banten region, which claims to have
\nmultiple tourist attractions, expects to see tourism boom
\nstarting next year, with a significant increase in international
\ntourist arrivals.<\/p>\n
A top executive with the Banten World travel agent, Steve
\nSetiadji, said that by 2000, his company would be able to attract
\nan additional 1,000 international visitors to Banten.<\/p>\n
\"The growth rate is estimated to increase 50 percent yearly.
\nThis is a moderate figure,\" he said.<\/p>\n
There is no data showing the number of tourist arrivals in the
\nBanten area. The only official data states that tourists staying
\nin star-rated hotels in West Java totaled 397,821 in 1998, up
\nfrom 181,192 in 1997. The figure for domestic tourists was 1.09
\nmillion in 1998, up from 864,748 in 1997.<\/p>\n
On average, overseas visitors spent 3.17 days in star-rated
\nhotels per person per visit in West Java in 1998, an increase
\nfrom 3.03 days in 1997. The length of stay nationwide reached
\n3.37 days last year. The figure for domestic tourists was 2.01
\ndays, down from 2.05 days in 1997.<\/p>\n
Setiadji is optimistic that Banten will be able to lure both
\ndomestic and international travelers as the region has various
\ntouristic attractions, including ecotourism, leisure, business,
\nadventure, nature and arts and culture.<\/p>\n
\"Specifically, Banten has historical objects as well as
\nbeaches and nature reserves, a spectacular volcano, endangered
\nand reef species, terrestrial scenery, indigenous communities,
\nart and culture,\" he said.<\/p>\n
As a part of West Java, Banten is quite large. The area
\nincludes over two million hectares of land, half of the West Java
\nprovince. There are four regencies in Banten, comprising Serang,
\nPandeglang, Lebak and Tangerang. Based on the latest national
\nsurvey, the total population in the regencies is six million.<\/p>\n
PT Banten West Java Tourism Development Corporation, a
\nprivately owned firm which was incorporated nine years ago, is
\naiming to develop promising new sites in western Java for tourism
\nas well as supporting services. The company, convinced that
\nBanten has everything in tourism, is licensed to develop a 1,500-
\nhectare plot at Tanjung Lesung as a new tourist destination. It
\nis currently inviting major international travel and hospitality
\nindustries to jointly develop the ambitious project.<\/p>\n
Tanjung Lesung is a natural peninsula bordering Sunda Strait.
\nThe area surrounding Tanjung Lesung is notable for such
\noutstanding attractions as the legendary Krakatau volcano and
\nUjung Kulon national park in Pandeglang.<\/p>\n
Mark Rees of Banten World said that there were many travel and
\ntour agencies operating to Banten, but his company was the first
\nto exclusively promote the region.<\/p>\n
\"We will participate in the upcoming Travel Indonesia Mart and
\nExpo in Jakarta next month and the ITB, which is a prestigious
\ntravel event in Berlin, Germany, next year,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He says his company will promote Banten since the area has the
\npotential to be developed as a wonderful tourist haven just like
\nBali, an important tourist destination in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"But there'll never be any rivalry with Bali. Instead, we're
\npromoting Banten as another destination, in addition to Bali,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He says that Banten is currently less popular internationally
\nexcept for Krakatau volcano and Ujung Kulon park because there
\nwas no travel agent specialized in promoting the area.<\/p>\n
\"For instance, everybody knows about the Amish sect in
\nAmerica, but only a few realize and comprehend the more unique
\nindigenous Baduy of Banten,\" he said, adding that for domestic
\npeople, Banten is far less popular compared to the mountainous,
\ncool areas of Bandung and Puncak.<\/p>\n
The Baduy community in Banten is a fascination in itself. The
\nBaduy are an utterly unique, indigenous and private community.
\nThere are about 4,000 Baduy living in an area near Kendeng
\nmountain, about 40 kilometers to the south of a town called
\nRangkasbitung in Lebak regency.<\/p>\n
\"We'll focus on Banten, but it does not mean that we're not
\ngoing to promote the country or any other areas in Indonesia,\"
\nRees said.<\/p>\n
He says that as an international tour and travel agent, Banten
\nWorld is also planning to cooperate with local agencies situated
\nin the Banten area.<\/p>\n
\"We'll be looking for partnerships in operating tours to
\nsecluded islands in the Banten area or to other places usually
\nhandled by local agents,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Attractions<\/p>\n
Setiadji says Banten is attractive to both domestic and
\ninternational travelers.<\/p>\n
\"Domestic visitors are fond of Krakatau volcano, the Anyer
\nbeach area and general leisure. Foreign tourists also like
\nKrakatau, as well as the Ujung Kulon reserve and the historical
\naspects of the area,\" he said.<\/p>\n
It takes about three hours by car from the capital Jakarta to
\nreach Banten, which offers idyllic beaches for swimming,
\nsnorkeling, fishing, water-skiing and sailing.<\/p>\n
The region is also popular due to its great historical
\nbackground and irreplaceable ruins of ancient buildings as well
\nas a recorded past including objects of significance manifesting
\nthe proliferation of Islam in Java and the initial arrival of the
\nDutch in Java.<\/p>\n
According to Setiadji, visitors from Europe, particularly from
\nthe Netherlands and Belgium, are very interested in these
\nhistorical aspects.<\/p>\n
\"They're also keen on the Baduy,\" he said, adding that
\nprecious stones found in Banten are another attraction for them.<\/p>\n
There are dozens of other attractions in Banten. This coastal
\narea has the ruins of powerful Islam sultanates such as the
\npalaces of Surosowan and Kaibon, the grand mosque of Masjid Agung
\n(1599) and a Dutch fort as well as a Chinese temple.<\/p>\n
Banten was the center of a trading empire in the 1600s. Early
\ntraders from Europe and the Middle East were familiar with this
\narea as the traditional seafaring gateway to Southeast Asia and
\nbeyond.<\/p>\n
Ujung Kulon national park, located on the southwestern tip of
\nWest Java, is a wildlife reserve of over 50,000 hectares,
\nincluding the Ujung Kulon peninsula and the adjacent islands of
\nPanaitan and Peucang. The reserve is a thick forest and is the
\nhome of the last surviving one-horned rhinos. Other inhabitants
\nin the forest include bears, birds, deer, crocodiles, oxen,
\nleopards and snakes.<\/p>\n
Marine life in the surrounding waters is a kaleidoscope of
\ncolors. Splendid sea parks can be discovered off Peucang and
\nPanaitan. There are fascinating diving areas for scuba lovers,
\nthough there are few coral reefs due to the long-ago Krakatau
\neruption. There is also a lighthouse constructed by the Dutch.<\/p>\n
Krakatau volcano remains spectacular. The breathtaking marvel
\nof Anak Rakata island, the \"offspring\" of Krakatau, is an active
\n\"young\" volcano and clearly visible from the mainland. Krakatau
\nerupted in 1883 with disastrous impacts, spreading its pulverized
\nashes as far as New York, while the tidal waves spanned the West
\nCoast.<\/p>\n
There is a rock formation with a hole in it, locally called
\nKarang Bolong. This may have been the result of cooling lava,
\nformed when Krakatau erupted. The rock is like a gate facing the
\nsea, making its appearance visually pleasing.<\/p>\n
Another attraction in Banten is Pulau Dua island, a nesting
\nplace of some 50 varieties of birds, located in Banten Bay. The
\nbirds, migrating from various places around the globe including
\nAfrica, Asia and Australia, live on the island every summer to
\nbreed, flying back home when their young have matured.<\/p>\n
Accommodation<\/p>\n
The well-known Carita Beach is only few steps from the main
\nroad. The Carita area itself is quite popular due to its sandy
\nbeaches and beautiful panorama, with the distant hulk of Krakatau
\nlooming on the horizon. A variety of luxury hotels, modest
\nhotels, villas and simple losmen (low-cost guest houses) have
\nmushroomed along the beachfront.<\/p>\n
Star-rated hotels and losmen can also be found in Serang,
\nPandeglang, Lebak and Tangerang. Official data shows there are
\ncurrently 1,275 star-rated hotels with a total of 34,374 rooms in
\nWest Java. The occupancy rate for star-rated hotels in the
\nprovince was about 33.88 percent in 1998, slightly lower than the
\nnationwide 38.45 percent.<\/p>\n
No data is available on how many hotels are located in Banten,
\nbut it is estimated that 50 hotels including star-rated, nonstar-
\nrated and losmen currently operate in the area.<\/p>\n
Hotel executives in the area have said that the only challenge
\nfor them in promotion was how to attract visitors on weekdays.<\/p>\n
They agreed that there were no barriers in luring visitors
\nflocking to Banten on weekends. But the tourist industry does not
\nlive only from weekenders.<\/p>\n
Rees said that Tanjung Lesung Resort Hotel, the only hotel in
\nthe Tanjung Lesung area, has always had ample guests on the
\nweekends since its opening two years ago.<\/p>\n
He said the occupancy rate of the four-star hotel, which is
\nmanaged by Accor, was up to 95 percent on weekends but only half
\nthat during the week.<\/p>\n
The same situation is experienced by other hotels in the area,
\nlike the Imperial Century Hotel and Resort in Tangerang. Hendra
\nSurip of this five-star hotel said the occupancy rate was
\nsluggish during the week.<\/p>\n
\"Fortunately, hoteliers in the Banten area understand that
\nthere's no use having a tariff war,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another star-rated hotel, the 600-room Sol Elite Marbella,
\nlocated in Anyer, has also seen poor occupancy on \"workdays\". A.
\nFerdy of the hotel said that its occupancy rate had dropped since
\nthe beginning of a multitude of crises hit the country in mid-
\n1997.<\/p>\n
\"Usually we offer special packages for Indonesians and locally
\nbased foreigners to attract more guests,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The two-star Mutiara Carita in Pandeglang offers special
\npackages for meetings to attract more guests. \"This can work if
\nwe also offer special tour packages,\" said Yani of the hotel.<\/p>\n
All hotel executives agreed that the domestic market was still
\na promising market, while integrated promotions to attract more
\noverseas visitors were always necessary.<\/p>\n
Despite the gloomy occupancy rate, there is one important
\nfactor related to encouraging tourism development in Banten:
\nlocal people are being employed, particularly in some of the
\nbigger hotels.<\/p>\n
This has had a multitude of effects on the local people in
\nBanten in association with tourist development and promotion.
\nProblems like massive land conversion, forced land acquisition,
\ncoastal erosion and marginalization of the local population can
\nbe avoided since local participation remains the key to
\nsustainable tourism development. (I. Christianto)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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