Expats prefer scenery over beaches: Study<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): Most expatriates living in Jakarta prefer going
\nto places that have beautiful scenery and cultural heritage than
\ngoing to beaches, Mira T. Gunawan of Bandung Institute of
\nTechnology (ITB) said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Mira said that a study, conducted by ITB's Tourism Research
\nCenter, showed that scenery was classified as ranking first,
\nfollowed by cultural performances and historical sites, in
\nexpatriates' destination choices during holidays.<\/p>\n
Beaches, which were usually considered a main tourist
\nattraction, were ranked eighth followed by certain events and
\nchildren's playgrounds, she said.<\/p>\n
\"Expats consider Bali 'overcrowded' and enjoy other exotic
\ntourist attractions, such as those found in Flores, Kalimantan,
\nBunaken in North Sulawesi, Toraja in South Sulawesi, Lake Toba in
\nNorth Sumatra, and even Maluku and Irian Jaya,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Mira presented the study, conducted jointly with the Jakarta
\nmunicipality this year, in a two-day seminar.<\/p>\n
The results of the study were gathered from 38 out of 220
\nquestionnaires distributed to expatriates, who were living in
\nJakarta, she said.<\/p>\n
So far, the survey did not cover expatriates from other Asian
\ncountries, such as Japan and South Korea, who were also
\nconsidered as potential tourists to Indonesia, she said.<\/p>\n
She explained that the questionnaires were distributed through
\ninternational community activities, the Jakarta International
\nSchool, the Indonesian Heritage Association, foreign companies
\nand the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas).<\/p>\n
Out of 38 respondents, 25 preferred spending holidays in
\nIndonesia, nine went to home countries and the remaining four
\ntraveled to other countries, she said.<\/p>\n
The survey discovered that most respondents gathered
\ninformation on tourist destinations from friends, travel agents,
\nadvertisements and travel magazines.<\/p>\n
\"Most respondents spend from Rp 2 million (US$819.6) to Rp 4
\nmillion on their vacations, excluding transportation costs,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Items bought by expatriates during holidays included clothes,
\njewelry, wood handicrafts, ceramics and leather products, she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Among the respondents, 12 have been living in Jakarta for five
\nyears, 10 between two and five years, eight between one and two
\nyears, seven between six months and one year and the rest have
\nbeen here between three and six months.<\/p>\n
In the survey, expatriates also suggested that the government
\nimprove roads leading to tourist sites and provide adequate
\ntransportation means and fast immigration services, as well as
\nreduce flight cancellations and overbooking.<\/p>\n
They also demanded professional services, communication
\nfacilities in tourist sites, security, access to information and
\nbetter language ability of those involved in tourism, Mira said.
\n(ste)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/expats-prefer-scenery-over-beaches-study-1447893297",
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