Jakartans opt to go out for New Year<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Jakarta residents appear to be eager to celebrate the New Year
\nout of their homes as seen by the high number of reservations at
\nrestaurants, hotels, bars and a number of outdoor programs on New
\nYear's Eve despite heightened security concerns and the economic
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
\"Over 60 percent of tickets for the New Year's Eve celebration
\nhave been sold,\" said Danar, marketing coordinator of Salsa Club
\nin Kemang, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Tickets are priced at Rp 75,000 each (US$8).<\/p>\n
Danar revealed that his restaurant targeted to secure between
\n300 and 350 visitors in the upcoming celebration given that it
\nwould feature special programs for the guests.<\/p>\n
\"We are optimistic that we will manage to secure the target
\ngiven the strong signs of recovery recently,\" Danar told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Danar was referring to the recovery from the steep downturn in
\nincoming guests after the Bali bomb blasts on Oct. 12 which
\nclaimed more than 190 lives and injured 300 others, mostly
\nforeigners.<\/p>\n
Danar said many expatriates have started to visit the
\nrestaurant again, which features Latin music.<\/p>\n
Danar said many expatriates might prefer to stay in the
\ncapital rather than traveling out of Jakarta amid security
\nconcerns.<\/p>\n
Expatriate guests account for 50 percent of the visitors at
\nthe Salsa Club restaurant. Previously, foreigners took the lion's
\nshare of 70 percent, but it plunged sharply to only 20 percent
\nafter the Bali bombings.<\/p>\n
\"But, we must compete with around 60 other bars and
\nrestaurants here which all will feature unique attractions to
\nlure more guests to come,\" said Danar.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Sulis Tio Sukron, a supervisor at Badonci
\nrestaurant and bar, commonly frequented by expatriate youths,
\nrevealed that over 60 percent of tickets had been reserved.<\/p>\n
\"We are targeting to secure between 200 and 300 guests in the
\ncelebration titled: Time for Change, which will offer special
\npackages, including free beer, gifts, door prizes, a billiard
\ncompetition, and all-you-can-eat buffet,\" Sulis told The Post.<\/p>\n
Sulis asserted that conditions had returned to normal as his
\nbar was visited by an average of 100 guests every day, the same
\nas the situation before the Bali blast.<\/p>\n
Tickets will be Rp 150,000 per person, and guests are required
\nto wear white or gold color attire to blend with the theme colors
\nused in the celebration.<\/p>\n
Outdoor programs include a people's festival at the Hotel
\nIndonesia traffic circle that will feature a Kuda Lumping dance,
\nBarongsai (Chinese Lion dance) and other cultural performances.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Raddin hotel in Ancol Dreamland Park in North
\nJakarta reported that almost 90 percent of its 292 rooms have
\nbeen booked.<\/p>\n
\"Many Jakarta residents started to reserve rooms in the middle
\nof this month,\" said the hotel's PR manager Ruth M. Tyas.<\/p>\n
Citing the hotel's experience in the recent years, Ruth said
\nthe hotel was always fully booked in the last minutes of New
\nYear's Eve.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jakartans-opt-to-go-out-for-new-year-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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