No exodus overseas, say RI travel agents<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The number of Indonesians traveling abroad
\nduring the election campaign is no more than usual for the time
\nof year but many foreign tourists have delayed their visits to
\nIndonesia until after the election is over, according to travel
\nexecutives.<\/p>\n
Director of travel agency PT Iwata Meity Robot said that staff
\nin her office handling outbound tours had not been very busy this
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
\"Bookings and reservations have increased for the school
\nholiday period (in July), but not in May,\" she told The Jakarta
\nPost Saturday.<\/p>\n
She said that several overseas groups intending to visit
\nIndonesia this month had delayed their trips until June.<\/p>\n
Director of PT Pantravel, Elly Hutabarat, said that her
\ncompany had even suggested to foreign tourists who wanted to come
\nhere to delay their visits until after the election.<\/p>\n
\"We don't say, however, that Indonesia is not safe. Anyway, we
\nare not in the high season yet,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Chairman of PT Setia Tur, Nurdin Purnomo, told the Post over
\nthe weekend that there were seasons for Indonesians traveling
\nabroad.<\/p>\n
\"Popular times for Indonesians traveling overseas are usually
\nthe July school holiday, Christmas and Idul Fitri. May and June
\nare not low season but are not high either.\"<\/p>\n
Some two million Indonesians traveled abroad last year.<\/p>\n
Analysts said many rich Indonesians have spent the one-month
\ncampaign, which started on April 27, overseas to avoid a possible
\nviolence at home.<\/p>\n
Mob violence among supporters of the three competing parties
\nis growing and some analysts expect the situation will get worse
\nthis week as the campaign reaches its peak.<\/p>\n
Robot said that unfavorable media coverage of Indonesia would
\naffect the country's image.<\/p>\n
\"People won't go to any place in trouble and this depends on
\nthe media coverage,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Local authorities in Central Java reported last month that the
\nnumber of visitors to the province had dropped because of rioting
\nin several towns.<\/p>\n
A provincial official was quoted as saying than many people
\nwere afraid of traveling to the province after reading reports of
\nthe riots.<\/p>\n
The most recent riots happened Friday in the Central Java town
\nof Temanggung.<\/p>\n
Nurdin said that Indonesia did not currently have a bad image
\nin Australia.<\/p>\n
\"I've just returned from four cities in Australia,\" he said.
\n\"I didn't come across any negative opinions of Indonesia after I
\nmet with officials and businesspeople in Sydney, Canberra,
\nMelbourne and Perth,\"<\/p>\n
He said that general elections were an accepted part of any
\nnation's activity and that Indonesia was no exception. (icn)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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