Garuda Indonesia will introduce special packages<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's flag carrier, Garuda Indonesia, will
\nintroduce special packages to various international destinations
\nin order to compete better in the global airline industry.<\/p>\n
As an initial step, the carrier introduced yesterday their
\nGaruda Hong Kong Package, a special tour package to Hong Kong
\noffering travel insurance for the passengers.<\/p>\n
The package includes an economy class round trip ticket to
\nHong Kong, three days and two nights of accommodation, breakfast,
\na city tour, bus transportation, a 10 kilogram excess baggage
\nallowance, a souvenir, a traveling bag, tour guidance and a cash
\ncoupon for duty free shopping. It is between US$30 to $70 cheaper
\nthan similar packages offered by its competitors, according to
\nGaruda's general manager for Jakarta, Iwan H. Susilo<\/p>\n
\"This is a fight not just a gimmick. We will introduce other
\npackages soon,\" he said, adding that Garuda currently links
\nJakarta and Hong Kong 13 times per week.<\/p>\n
Iwan said that Garuda ran a Hong Kong travel package before,
\nbut it didn't attract customers.<\/p>\n
\"We have evaluated it and now offer tours proposed by the Hong
\nKong Travel Association. Travelers will also get travel
\ninsurance,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Leading<\/p>\n
He said that Garuda has been the leading airline for the
\nJakarta to Hong Kong route in the last few years, with a stable
\nload factor.<\/p>\n
\"Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines are the other major
\ncarriers which also offer very attractive packages,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to Iwan, the scheme doesn't violate ticket pricing
\narrangements introduced by the International Air Transport
\nAssociation.<\/p>\n
\"We are offering packages, not cutting ticket prices,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Garuda, which cooperates with the Hong Kong Travel Association
\nand the Central Asia insurance firm, sells the packages for
\nbetween $689 and $1,126 to Hong Kong and between $686 and $1,227
\nto Kowloon, depending on the months and hotels.<\/p>\n
A senior manager at the Hong Kong Travel Association, Susan
\nTang, said that the number of Indonesians visiting Hong Kong
\nincreased in the last couple of years.<\/p>\n
\"Last year, Hong Kong received 9.33 million international
\nvisitors, up 4.4 percent from 8.93 million in the previous year.
\nThe number of Indonesian visitors reached 176,014 in 1994, up one
\npercent from 174,346 in 1993,\" she said, adding that numbers of
\nvisitors from Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia slightly
\ndecreased.<\/p>\n
She said that the Hong Kong association is optimistic that
\nthey will realize a three to five percent increase in the number
\nof tourist arrivals this year. (icn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/garuda-indonesia-will-introduce-special-packages-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}