Bungee jumping boosts tourist industry<\/p>\n
By Riyadi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Bungee jumping, with its roots in the age-old
\nmanhood ritual in Vanuatu, entered Indonesia early 1995.<\/p>\n
Since then, bungee jumping has become a focal point in the
\ncountry's tourism industry.<\/p>\n
Andy Bredow of Bali Bungee Co. said bungee jumping sites have
\nhelped the tourism industry here to attract both foreign and
\nlocal tourists.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia is fantastic, as a developing nation. The
\ngovernment welcomes bungee jumping, not only for locals, but
\nespecially for tourists,\" Bredow said.<\/p>\n
Bali, especially, has many attractions for tourists.<\/p>\n
\"Tourists will tell people at home they have to try this and
\nthat in Bali, including bungee jumping,\" Bredow said.<\/p>\n
It was Bredow, a New Zealander, who first brought bungee
\njumping to Indonesia through Bali Bungee, which he founded
\ntogether with Dina Agoestina in 1994.<\/p>\n
Since then, new bungee operations have been started. Now there
\nare at least five bungee jumping operators in Indonesia,
\nincluding Bali Bungee and A.J. Hackett in Bali.<\/p>\n
New Zealand was the first country to use bungee jumping as a
\ntourist attraction.<\/p>\n
In an attempt to groom competitors in Indonesia, Bali Bungee
\ncreated the annual Bali Bungee Olympics, which attracted 30 local
\nbungee teams this year. The next Bungee Olympics are scheduled
\nfor April.<\/p>\n
Teams of four compete with other companies and organizations
\nin a fun event, Bredow said.<\/p>\n
Both Bali Bungee and A.J. Hackett plan to open bungee sites in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
A.J. Hackett, which claims to be a pioneer in promoting
\ncommercial bungee jumping business throughout the world, have
\nheld bungee jumping exhibitions in Ancol, North Jakarta, and
\nLido, West Java.<\/p>\n
Bali Bungee has recently followed suit. It conducted a bungee
\nexhibition for Jakarta residents earlier this month at the
\nSoemantri Brodjonegoro sports complex in Kuningan, South Jakarta,
\nin cooperation with GETPlus, the operator of the sports complex.<\/p>\n
Safe<\/p>\n
\"The message we would like to send is bungee jumping is safe
\nas long as you jump with qualified professionals,\" Bredow said.<\/p>\n
Rudi P. Singgih of GETPlus said Bali Bungee exhibition
\nattracted many of Jakarta's executives, students and other
\nyoungsters to try the challenges, even though they had to pay Rp
\n100,000 (US$41.28) per jump.<\/p>\n
\"The prospects are good, especially for middle and upper class
\npeople. If bungee is not so well known among Jakarta yuppies yet,
\nit is because it lacks promotion here,\" Rudi said.<\/p>\n
He said he plans to organize another exhibition in Jakarta
\nsometime in February next year.<\/p>\n
February's bungee exhibition will feature bungee jumping from
\nhigh-rise buildings.<\/p>\n
\"If possible, we will jump from Monas (the National Monument).
\nWe are still sounding out the possibility with authorities,\" Rudi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Bungee jumping originated from far more dangerous manhood
\nrituals in the Pentecost island, Vanuatu. There, towers were
\nbuilt of bamboo some 100 feet above the ground and were used as a
\nplatform to jump.<\/p>\n
Unlike with the modern bungee, men would attach two vines to
\neach leg. The length of the vines were measured precisely so the
\njumper would touch the ground with his hands. Since this was not
\na safe practice it took great courage to leap from these towers.<\/p>\n
In 1979, a group called the English Aristocrat Club
\nconstructed the first modern day bungee cord and used it to jump
\noff the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.<\/p>\n
Since then, bungee jumping has received wide media coverage
\nand has made its way into many countries.<\/p>\n
Several New Zealanders who specialized in mountaineering and
\nparachuting tested and developed the modern bungee cord that is
\nused today. Bredow was one of these pioneers.<\/p>\n
Bredow started bungee jumping in 1987 in Auckland, New
\nZealand. Initially the bungee cords were heavy gauge rubber with
\nlarge D-bolt connectors.<\/p>\n
Now Bredow uses high strength latex wrapped around a high
\nstrength plastic bobbin. The bungee cords are attached to screw
\ngate carabiners, with a loading strength of 3,000 kilos.<\/p>\n
Jumpers are tied to the cord and carabiners with an equally
\nhigh-strength nylon circular climbing webbing, with a loading
\nstrength of 2,800 kilos.<\/p>\n
A pulley system is designed to lower the jumper safely. As a
\nbackup, a brake system has also been incorporated to allow the
\njump master to lower several people down at the same time.<\/p>\n
The tower is usually over 40 meters high.<\/p>\n
Scott Saccany, another jump master from Bali Bungee, said Bali
\nBungee uses three kinds of cords for different weight groups: 35
\nto 65 kilograms, 65 to 75 kilos, and 75 to 105 kilos.<\/p>\n
For jumpers who weigh more than 105 kilos, two cords are
\njoined together.<\/p>\n
\"Each cord can be used for 2,000 jumps, but normally we
\nreplace a cord after 600 jumps, just to ensure safety,\" Saccany
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
So far Bali Bungee has no record of accidents.<\/p>\n
Both Saccany and Bredow acknowledge there have been some
\naccidents in bungee jumping in Indonesia, although not fatal.
\nPrompt response is urgent, they said.<\/p>\n
\"We are working with the government to set up standards and
\ncriteria to guarantee safety: Standards on materials used, the
\nmethod of making cords, cord maintenance and criteria for jump
\nmasters,\" Saccany said.<\/p>\n
International standards and criteria for safe bungee jumping
\ndo not exist, he said. However, countries more experienced in
\nbungee jumping like New Zealand, Australia, England and the
\nUnited States have established their own standards.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bungee-jumping-boosts-tourist-industry-1447893297",
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