Fears of possible unrest affect tourist business<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Businesses on Jl. Jaksa and Jl. Surabaya, two of
\nCentral Jakarta's famous tourist destinations, which were showing
\nsigns of recovery after the mid-May riots, are back in the
\ndoldrums ahead of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
\nSpecial Session from Nov. 10 through Nov. 13.<\/p>\n
There are no concrete reasons as to why the businesses are
\ncontinuing to decline, but some people believe it is because of
\nfears over possible riots during the session.<\/p>\n
Several businessmen on the 500-meter-long Jl. Jaksa, famous
\nfor its inexpensive guest houses for foreign budget visitors,
\nsaid that fears of possible unrest during the session had
\ndiscouraged tourists from visiting the capital.<\/p>\n
One Jl. Jaksa businessmen, F.H. Titaley, said he was concerned
\nabout the impact of the series of demonstrations and the
\ndeployment of many soldiers and police officers in strategic
\nlocations around the capital.<\/p>\n
\"Our businesses were recovering after being hit by the May
\nriots as could be seen from the rising number of foreign guests
\nto the area in September. But recent rumors about the possibility
\nof a similar tragedy have caused the number of guests to drop
\nagain,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Titaley said the number of backpackers during the peak season,
\nincluding this month, for example, dropped to only 100 a day from
\nabout 500 previously.<\/p>\n
A hotel manager who asked not to be named said that the
\noccupancy rate of almost all the hotels in the area was only
\nabout 20 percent.<\/p>\n
\"Out of the 22 rooms in my hotel, for example, only four to
\nfive have been occupied every day recently,\" he said. \"I fear the
\nsituation will worsen further during the Special Session.\"<\/p>\n
Yosi, an owner of a travel agency, said it was lucky that he
\nwas not bankrupt as his income was sometimes much less than his
\nexpenses.<\/p>\n
\"The number of transactions has dropped sharply to only an
\naverage of three a day or sometimes none at all, from about eight
\npreviously,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On Jl. Surabaya on Saturday handicraft and luggage kiosk
\nowners were just sitting around; some played cards while others
\nrepaired broken bags to resell.<\/p>\n
\"We've nothing to do so it is better to find other
\nactivities,\" said Herman, who sells porcelain and a variety of
\ntraditional sculptures.<\/p>\n
The 400-meter-long Jl. Surabaya is famous for its flea market
\nthat now is home to some 200 kiosks, according to the vendors
\ncoordinator, Mumu Hidayat.<\/p>\n
They sell everything from old lamps and sculptures to
\ntraditional clothes, bags and jugs.<\/p>\n
Mumu, 52, said that the number of tourists had dropped since
\nthe May riots and that it had not recovered yet.<\/p>\n
\"Sometimes not a single tourist visits here during the
\nweekend,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Before the riots, he said, the number of tourists exceeded 100
\nduring the weekend.<\/p>\n
Last Saturday, only two or three tourists were seen buying
\ngoods.<\/p>\n
Mumu said that most of the sellers' incomes had dropped by
\nmore than 50 percent. \"It is difficult now to get Rp 2 million
\n(US$230) to Rp 3 million during the peak days like before.\"<\/p>\n
Another seller, Mayong, said that his business was only being
\nkept alive by foreign traders who continued to buy old nautical
\nequipment to resell in their own countries. (ind)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fears-of-possible-unrest-affect-tourist-business-1447893297",
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