Hotel groups start cooperate<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): PT Hotel Indonesia International (HII), a state-
\nowned company operating seven hotels, signed here yesterday an
\nagreement with the American Hotel and Motel Association (AHMA) to
\ncooperate in hotel industry training programs in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Under the agreement signed by HII's president, Widjaja
\nSugarda, and AHMA's vice president for institutional programs,
\nRoy Kennington, HII will hold a five-year license to conduct a
\nnumber of courses and publish textbooks under the name of AHMA.<\/p>\n
The license allows HII to use AHMA's brand names in conducting
\ntraining activities related to technical skills, methods,
\nproducts, programs and the association's other services.<\/p>\n
\"This cooperation is aimed at the improvement of human
\nresources in Indonesia's hotel industry,\" Widjaja said, adding
\nthat there are some 900 people in the country already undertaking
\nAHMA's educational programs.<\/p>\n
I Gede Ardika, the chief of the education and training
\ndivision of the Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications
\nwho attended the signing ceremony yesterday, said that Indonesia
\nneeds to improve management skills in the hotel industry in order
\nto face global competition over the next 25 years.<\/p>\n
He also said that such an agreement will hopefully bring the
\nquality of human resources in the country up to international
\nstandards.<\/p>\n
Kennington said that the relationship between HII and the
\nMichigan-based association began in 1972.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia is the seventh party licensed by AHMA after those
\nfrom Singapore, Malaysia, Cyprus, Greece, Sydney and Melbourne in
\nAustralia,\" he said, adding that AHMA was established in 1952.<\/p>\n
Attitude<\/p>\n
HII's vice president, A.A. Gede Rai, said that yesterday's
\nagreement is also expected to improve the attitudes of the
\npersonnel working in HII hotels, many of which are aging
\nproperties and conducive to unfavorable moods.<\/p>\n
HII merged with Natour, another state-run hotel management
\nfirm, in 1993. The combined-company, temporarily called Hotel
\nIndonesia International Corporation & Natour, has had financial
\nproblems refurbishing the aging members among its 17 hotels.<\/p>\n
Rai said that a team comprised of officials from the Ministry
\nof Tourism, Post and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Justice,
\nthe Ministry of Finance, the Government Audit Agency, the
\nNational Development Planning Board and the State Secretariat is
\nstill discussing the future of the company and whether it will
\nbecome a merger with a new name or a holding company with a
\nnumber of subsidiaries.<\/p>\n
Unless the team finalizes the discussion soon, the company is
\nunlikely to have supporting money to refurbish its properties in
\nthe near future.<\/p>\n
Both HII and Natour suffered total losses of Rp 16 billion in
\n1993, much more than the Rp 620 million they lost in the previous
\nyear. Widjaja said recently that HII will likely continue to
\nsuffer losses in the next two years, with projected losses of Rp
\n12.18 billion this year and Rp 2.87 billion in 1996. HII is
\nexpected to gain a profit of Rp 6.9 billion in 1997 and Rp 17.13
\nbillion in 1998.(icn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hotel-groups-start-cooperate-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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