Government must change tourism policy<\/p>\n
Tourism is vital for generating foreign exchange revenues, but
\nfacts show that the industry is in turmoil. While earnest work to
\nlure tourists back remains unfruitful, fresh violence hit the
\ncapital city of Jakarta on Friday. How can we paint a better
\npicture to attract visitors? The Jakarta Post's Rita A. Widiadana
\nattempts to find some answers.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The natural beauty of the sea, sand or sun can
\nno longer tempt tourists to the paradise island of Bali or
\nneighboring Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
Neither cultural attractions nor impeccable works or art and
\nhandicrafts can entice foreigners to visit Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's top tourist destinations, from the famous Lake
\nToba in North Sumatra and the tourist favorite of Kuta beach in
\nBali, to the Bunaken diving area in North Sulawesi and natural
\nBanda island in Maluku, are bereft of visitors.<\/p>\n
Each passing month sees thousands of foreigners canceling
\ntrips to Indonesia, jittered by fresh scenes of riots in Aceh,
\nMaluku province and the capital city of Jakarta. Large blankets
\nof haze in Sumatra and Kalimantan as well as the tropical
\ndiseases of cholera and malaria also discourage visitors from
\ndeveloped countries.<\/p>\n
The number of tourists visiting Bali in the first quarter of
\n2000 dropped 12.7 percent from 112,768 in l999 to 98,496.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, the high crime rate, frequent student brawls and
\nriots are the main reasons for the decrease in the number of
\ntourist arrivals.<\/p>\n
The City Tourism Agency recorded 1,057,104 tourists visiting
\nJakarta in l998, but this number dropped to 981,183 last year.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's key tourist industry has been feeling the backlash
\nof its tarnished images in the international community.<\/p>\n
Tourism is vital to Indonesia. It absorbs more than two
\nmillion from the workforce and generates billions of American
\ndollars in revenue for the state.<\/p>\n
Chairwoman of Indonesia's chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel
\nAssociation (PATA) Elly Hutabarat comments, \"Indonesia is not
\nvery 'in' at the moment.\"<\/p>\n
The current social, economic and political conditions have hit
\nIndonesia's tourism industry hard since l997 when the economic
\ncrisis began and the industry further worsened with haze and
\ndrought problems, she said.<\/p>\n
\"There are so many valuable lessons we can draw from this
\nparticular situation,\" added Elly.<\/p>\n
The enduring images of Indonesia as a country rich in nature
\nand culture are no longer vendible.<\/p>\n
\"Tourists need security and good tourist facilities, including
\na high standard of health care and a pleasant and healthy
\nenvironment, while visiting Indonesia, something we can't offer
\nthem at present,\" she added.<\/p>\n
In a seminar on Healthy and Secure Tourism held on Tuesday at
\nAtmajaya University's School of Medicine, Dr. Charles Suryadi,
\nprofessor of public health at the university, agreed that
\nIndonesia's tourism policy barely touched on the basic
\nrequirements of the industry.<\/p>\n
Tourists visiting Indonesia often experience disturbing
\ndisappointments, starting from the streamlining of the
\nbureaucratic process at local airports, inadequate transport and
\ninternational standard accommodations, to the lack of health
\nfacilities.<\/p>\n
All tourism drives and campaigns were rhetoric and
\nsuperficial. The government and tourism boards are promoting
\nIndonesia outside but in the country barely does anything to
\nimprove necessary tourism facilities, said Charles.<\/p>\n
Roads are potholed, trains and buses are in dilapidated
\nconditions, not to mention their reckless drivers. Tourist
\nInformation Centers are often empty.<\/p>\n
Health care<\/p>\n
In health sector, for instance, only big hospitals in Jakarta
\nand Bali are able to cater foreign visitors who become ill, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"If they are sick or have an accident during their visit to
\nIndonesia, we can't treat them properly unless we have good
\nquality health care services, which are still rare in the
\ncountry.\"<\/p>\n
Dr. Kisjanto, professor of cardiology at Cipto Mangukusumo
\nGeneral Hospital (RSCM) and chairman of the Indonesian Travel
\nMedicine Society, said that many tourists suffer from minor to
\nserious injuries or sickness during their holidays in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Numerous visitors, the elderly in particular, suffer from
\nheart-related diseases, respiratory problems, stomachs upsets,
\ntraffic accidents, malaria and diarrhea. Drowning is also another
\nserious problem.<\/p>\n
\"We promote Indonesia's beaches and marine resources but we
\ndon't have enough trained lifeguards. This is a simple and
\npathetic example,\" the professor said.<\/p>\n
In remote forested areas, where the government promotes
\necotourism, the nearest public health center is a four-hour walk
\naway.<\/p>\n
\"Some of the existing health centers are not even equipped
\nwith first aid kits to treat wounded visitors,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
Dr. Richard Tomlins from the Australian Embassy Clinic in
\nJakarta, said that in l999, about 280,000 Australians traveled to
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
He said that for every 100,000 people traveling to a
\ndeveloping area, including Indonesia, and staying for one month,
\n50,000 would have health problems, 8,000 would consult a doctor,
\n5,000 would need to stay in bed sick while on holiday, 400 would
\nbe hospitalized, 50 would require air evacuation and one would
\ndie.<\/p>\n
This represents a large demand for medical resources,
\nespecially in Bali, the most favorite destination among
\nAustralians, said Tomlins.<\/p>\n
\"Australian travelers are very demanding,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Dr. Kisjanto added that in order to lure back foreigners,
\nIndonesia should provide better health care and supporting
\ninfrastructure facilities for visitors. \"But, we have to be
\nmindful, visitors may also bring in various diseases, from
\ninfluenza to the dangerous HIV virus,\" the doctor said.<\/p>\n
He said that the government must dramatically change the
\ncurrent \"top-down\" tourism policy.<\/p>\n
\"The government should involve not only tourist-related
\nindustries but also medical people, public works, immigration
\nand, more importantly, the public to prepare a comprehensive
\npolicy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Deputy Minister for Tourism Product Development I Gede Ardhika
\nadmitted that in the past, the policy was too bureaucratic and
\neconomic oriented.<\/p>\n
Good program<\/p>\n
\"We are now launching community-based tourism forums to absorb
\nideas from community members and officials on how to create good
\ntourism programs in eight tourist spots, including in Lake Toba,
\nBali, Bunaken and Lombok,\" he said.<\/p>\n
At each of the designated areas, the forum will monitor
\ntourism facilities and programs. \"They will provide input to the
\nhotel and restaurant sector, travel agents, hospitals and other
\nrelated institutions about how to provide better services for
\nvisitors.\"<\/p>\n
Despite the downturn and ongoing crisis, he was optimistic
\nthat Indonesia could still be considered a potential tourist
\ndestination in Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n
He expects 5 percent growth in visitor arrivals this year,
\nfrom 4.8 million in l999. \"We predict the number will reach 5.1
\nmillion this year,\" Ardhika said.<\/p>\n
Charles said that any efforts to attract foreign tourists to
\nJakarta would be futile without a solution to the country's
\nmultidimensional crisis.<\/p>\n
\"We can not work alone to improve the decaying image of
\nIndonesia abroad. Politicians, the Army, the students and all
\nIndonesians are responsible for bringing peace and security back
\nto the country,\" said Charles.<\/p>\n
Only when Indonesia is secure will visitors return and, more
\nimportantly, bring hard currency to this debt-laden country.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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