Indonesia lures tourists with 'free' services<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Foreign travelers arriving in Indonesia today
\nwill be entitled to transportation, one night in a hotel and a
\nmeal all for free as part of the government's campaign to lure
\nforeign tourists back to the country.<\/p>\n
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Marzuki Usman said
\nyesterday that foreign travelers would also be allowed to visit
\ntourist resorts and recreation sites for free during "Happy Day",
\na day of free services launched as part of the Let's Go Indonesia
\ncampaign.<\/p>\n
"With the free services, we want people around the world to
\nknow that Indonesia's travel and tourist industry is ready to
\nwelcome them back," Marzuki said when announcing the date of
\nHappy Day.<\/p>\n
Each tourist arriving in the country through Jakarta's
\nSoekarno-Hatta International Airport and Bali's Ngurah Rai
\nAirport today will receive one free night in a participating
\nhotel, one free meal at the hotel, one free tour and free
\nentrance to recreational parks.<\/p>\n
Upon arrival, foreign tourists will also be provided with free
\ntransportation from the airport to their hotels using Bluebird
\ntaxis.<\/p>\n
Tourists arriving on Garuda Indonesia planes will each be
\nentitled to a complimentary return ticket to any domestic
\ndestination.<\/p>\n
Besides Jakarta and Bali, the offer is also good at nine other
\ntourist destinations. They are Bandung in West Java, Semarang and
\nSurakarta in Central Java, Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, Batam
\nand Bintan in Riau, Medan in North Sumatra, Manado in North
\nSulawesi and Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
The offer is valid for foreign visitors either on vacation or
\nbusiness trips.<\/p>\n
Foreign tourists already in the country, excluding those in
\nJakarta and Bali, are entitled to all of the above services
\nexcept for accommodation and meals.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said visitors would also be entitled to a 50 percent
\ndiscount on any future Garuda domestic flights if they traveled
\non Garuda Indonesia on Happy Day.<\/p>\n
Foreign tourists arriving at the 11 destinations who have
\nprepaid accommodation and\/or other services will be issued
\nvouchers entitling them to the same services at a later date.<\/p>\n
The program is sponsored by the Indonesian Hotel and
\nRestaurant Association (PHRI), the Association of Indonesian Tour
\nand Travel Agencies (ASITA), the Indonesian Tourism Promotion
\nBoard, the Association of Indonesian Tourist Attractions (Putri),
\nthe Indonesian National Air Carriers Association (INACA) and
\nnational flag carrier Garuda Indonesia.<\/p>\n
PHRI chairman Pontjo Sutowo said at least 15,000 foreign
\ntourists would be able to take advantage of the free services on
\nHappy Day.<\/p>\n
"The promotion is an image campaign and we don't expect it
\nwill immediately increase tourist arrivals. Our main target is to
\nbring back arrivals to the normal level of five million visitors
\nby the end of this year," Pontjo said.<\/p>\n
Marzuki said Happy Day would cost participating companies a
\ntotal of US$10 million.<\/p>\n
The country's tourist sector, badly hit since last year, went
\ninto an even deeper slump during and following the May riots,
\nwhich prompted many foreign countries to issue travel warnings on
\nIndonesia to their citizens.<\/p>\n
The government last month launched the Let's Go Indonesia
\ncampaign, its latest move to lure back visitors to the country,
\nwhich has been hit by a series of political, economic and natural
\ndisasters.<\/p>\n
Director General of Tourism Andi Mappisammeng said earlier
\nthis month that Indonesia might have to reduce its 1998 tourist
\nrevenue target of $5.75 billion if political uncertainty
\ncontinued.<\/p>\n
He said the government had targeted foreign tourist arrivals
\nfor the year at 4.6 million, a 10 percent decline from the 1997
\nlevel. In the first half of this year it only totaled 1.4
\nmillion. (gis)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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