Cafes, bars turn quite after Bali carnage<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Cafes and bars frequented by tourists and expatriates have been
\nalmost deafeningly silent following Saturday's terror attacks in
\nBali that apparently targeted innocent foreign tourists, and
\nsparking fears of a massive business downturn throughout the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"I am afraid the situation will get worse as many foreign
\ntourists have been leaving in a rush following the Bali tragedy,\"
\nsaid Slamet of Memories Cafe on Jl. Jaksa, in Central Jakarta,
\nwhich is one of several popular restaurants\/cafes for backpackers
\nand expatriates to hang out.<\/p>\n
Slamet said his cafe had experienced about a 50 percent plunge
\nin net sales since Saturday night's bombings, and that he was
\nworried about the future of the business.<\/p>\n
On Monday, there were just a handful of foreigners and locals
\nat the cafe, well below its relatively bustling norm.<\/p>\n
Sulis Tio Sukron with the Badonci bar in Kemang, South Jakarta
\nalso complained about the slow business. He said several of his
\nregular diners, who are students of international high schools
\nhere, called to cancel their dinner reservations in the last
\ncouple of days amid security fears.<\/p>\n
\"Most of them said they could not come because their parents
\nwould not let them go out at all,\" said Sukron.<\/p>\n
Sukron also has experienced about a 50 percent plunge in
\nbusiness over the last two days.<\/p>\n
Amid heightened security concerns, Sukron said, his security
\npeople would personally cooperate with police and military
\nofficers from nearby posts.<\/p>\n
\"We have tightened our security while we are also ready to
\nreport any incident which is suspicious here,\" said Sukron.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Danar, marketing coordinator at the nearby Salsa
\nCafe revealed that the impact of the Kuta carnage would be much
\nworse, for Indonesian businesses, than the aftermath of the Sept.
\n11 attack last year.<\/p>\n
\"The incident could sink our business further as Bali was
\nknown as the safest place. But, after the bomb attack, where else
\ncould be claimed as a safe place, certainly not Jakarta?\" Danar
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
Two backpackers from France who had just arrived in Jakarta,
\nIstradelle and Manuelle, expressed concern over security in the
\ncity, but had yet to decide whether or not they would just turn
\naround and leave.<\/p>\n
\"We've just arrived, and we only know a little bit of
\ninformation (about the incident). We will go to the (French)
\nEmbassy to get the latest information,\" said Manuelle as he was
\nlooking for a room on Jl. Jaksa.<\/p>\n
Manuelle said that they had originally planned to stay in
\nIndonesia for three months with Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Bali on
\nthe top of their itinerary, yet that plan would have to be
\nchanged.<\/p>\n
\"Definitely, we won't visit Bali. But, we still want to visit
\nYogya. It depends on lots of things. Security concerns,
\nespecially, will be on the top of our consideration whether or
\nnot we will shorten our stay here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Adrian Maelite of the Indonesian Association for Entertainment
\nCenter Owners predicted that there would be a sharp drop in the
\nnumber of international guests to the capital in the coming
\nmonths.<\/p>\n
\"On Sunday evening, there were hardly any foreigners visiting
\nentertainment centers here, including the Tanamur discotheque,\"
\nhe told reporters on Monday, referring to the popular nightspot
\nlocated on Jl. Tanah Abang Timur, Central Jakarta.<\/p>",
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