Fewer tourists visit C. Java after riots<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The number of visitors to Central Java has
\ndropped over the last few weeks because of rioting in several
\ntowns.<\/p>\n
The head of Central Java's tourist office in Semarang, Sri
\nSubagyo, said "the trend is caused by the coverage of the riots.
\nMany people are afraid because of reports of the riots which
\nrocked several places in Central Java recently".<\/p>\n
Sri said the number of tourists would drop further if there
\nwas no action to counter it.<\/p>\n
"I am worried because the decline in tourists will damage
\nearnings of tourist-related businesses," Sri was quoted by Antara
\nas saying.<\/p>\n
Sri said the tourist office should immediately conduct a
\nseries of promotions.<\/p>\n
Riots have hit the Central Java towns of Pekalongan, Wonosobo
\nand Banjarnegara, Rembang and Temanggung in the last few weeks.<\/p>\n
There have also been riots in East Timor and West Kalimantan
\nthis year.<\/p>\n
Analysts said the growing tension in the political system
\nahead of the May elections could spark further riots.<\/p>\n
Sri said the drop in foreign tourists was also because of the
\nforeign media's exaggerated coverage of the riots. "We are
\ndisappointed with such unfavorable news".<\/p>\n
The Central Java Tourist Office aimed for 570,335 foreign
\nvisitors and 14.37 million domestic visitors this year.<\/p>\n
There are 197 tourist destinations in Central Java including
\nBorobudur Temple, Baturaden in Wonosobo and Taman Sriwedari in
\nSurakarta.<\/p>\n
But the minister of tourism, post and telecommunications, Joop
\nAve, said the riots had not and would not have any negative
\nimpact on tourism.<\/p>\n
"We have to be sure that we can reach our tourism target this
\nyear and it will depend on our marketing strategy," he was quoted
\nby Antara as saying in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
Indonesia expects to earn between $7.2 billion and $7.8
\nbillion on 5.3 million to 5.7 million foreign tourists this year.<\/p>\n
The government expects the tourist industry to be Indonesia's
\nbiggest foreign exchange earner by the end of the Seventh Five-
\nYear Development Plan in 2004. (icn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fewer-tourists-visit-c-java-after-riots-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}