Sudibyo M. Wiradji
\nContributor
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Various tour packages cater to travelers' needs<\/p>\n
For many years, Hong Kong has been a favorite destination for
\noverseas travelers, including Indonesians, who go there not only
\nfor business but also for holidays.<\/p>\n
A former colony of the United Kingdom that became the Hong
\nKong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on July 1,
\n1997, Hong Kong enjoys a highly reputed status as a trade,
\nfinancial, logistics and digital hub, which boasts of being
\nAsia's most unique fusion of East and West.<\/p>\n
It entices visitors with its superb cuisine, exciting
\ncelebrations and festivals, a rich tradition of art and culture
\nand world-class shopping with an unparalleled array of goods and
\nservices.<\/p>\n
It's no wonder that Eddy Fendy, an operational director of
\nAvia Tour, said: \"Hong Kong has become an important transit city
\nfor Indonesians visiting Far East countries like China, Korea or
\nJapan.\"<\/p>\n
Tour packages from Indonesia to other Asian countries have
\nbeen in high demand following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in
\nthe U.S..<\/p>\n
\"That tragedy led many Western countries to impose tighter
\nimmigration regulations, such as on the issuance of visas. And
\nthis has caused Asia to become a more preferable tourist
\ndestination,\" an executive of a local travel agent said.<\/p>\n
According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), visitor
\narrivals in September of this year totaled 1.37 million, a 30
\npercent increase from the same month in 2001.<\/p>\n
However, that encouraging figure needs to be seen in the
\ncontext of last year's terrorist attacks in the U.S., which sent
\narrivals plummeting during the second half of that month.<\/p>\n
\"Nevertheless, the cumulative figures of January through to
\nSeptember confirm that the growth trend remains very strong,\" the
\nboard said.<\/p>\n
Visitor arrivals for the first nine months of 2002 totaled
\n11.74 million, a 16 percent increase from the same period in
\n2001.<\/p>\n
Tourist arrivals to Hong Kong from South Asian and Southeast
\nAsian countries experienced a growth of 7.4 percent in 2001.
\nDespite the 10.2 percent drop in the number of arrivals from
\nIndonesia during the whole of 2001, Hong Kong saw a 46.1 percent
\nincrease in the number of arrivals from Indonesia in December of
\nthat year.<\/p>\n
The visa exemption for travelers planning to stay in Hong Kong
\nfor less than two weeks has been cited as a contributing factor
\nin the increase of Indonesian visitors to the city. But there are
\nother reasons, too.<\/p>\n
December is the height of the peak season and there will be
\nmany tourists spending their holidays in Hong Kong to celebrate
\nChristmas and bring in the New Year.<\/p>\n
Several travel agents in Jakarta have witnessed an increase in
\ndemand for year-end tour packages which include Hong Kong on the
\ntravel itinerary. Especially this month, Hong Kong is considered
\n\"fat\", an industry term that means a destination is lucrative
\nbecause it attracts many customers.<\/p>\n
But the tour packages that have Hong Kong as the featured
\ndestination vary in terms of prices, length and accommodation,
\ndepending on the travel agent.<\/p>\n
Several travel agents are offering tour packages of between
\nthree to four days for only Hong Kong. Others include Hong Kong
\nas part of their Asian tour packages that go to several tourist
\ndestinations in Thailand, Korea, China and Japan.<\/p>\n
Travelers can join either individual packages or a group
\npackage tour. An individual package with one or two persons is
\nnot strict in terms of time.<\/p>\n
Individual packages usually include a return flight ticket,
\nand accommodation, but at the request of customers, it can also
\nincorporate tour programs. Group tour packages, meanwhile,
\ninclude a return flight ticket, accommodation, airport transfers
\nplus a city tour. Group tour packages offer a scheduled itinerary
\nand a tour leader, who accompanies travelers on the tours.<\/p>\n
The Satriavi travel agency, located at Jl. Thamrin No. 5,
\nJakarta, offers, for an example, a four-day tour package to Hong
\nKong for between US$777 and $880.<\/p>\n
WITA Tour & Travel, with its head office at Jl. Balikpapan No.
\n5, Jakarta, offers an eight-day package from Jakarta to Bangkok,
\nPattaya and Hong Kong for $1,370 and a nine-day Asian Hong Kong
\nTour package that takes travelers to Singapore, Bangkok and Hong
\nKong for $1560. It also offers a 12-day tour of Korea, Japan and
\nHong Kong for $3520. The package allows sightseers to stay in
\nHong Kong for three days and two nights.<\/p>\n
Avia Tour on Jl. Bungur Besar in Central Jakarta offers
\nseveral choices, with the length of travel ranging from seven to
\nnine days.<\/p>\n
Its nine-day tour package to Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong
\ncosts $1,250, while its eight-day Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong
\ntour retails for $1,088.<\/p>\n
Agents are also offering an overland package from Hong Kong to
\nChina for seven days for $1,069, which includes a flight ticket
\nfrom Jakarta to Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
Travel agents generally require would-be travelers to pay a
\ndeposit of 10 percent of the total package fare. These packages
\nnormally exclude flight or travel insurance. Obligatory flight
\ninsurance usually ranges from 10 percent to 20 percent or between
\n$10 and $35, depending on the airline.<\/p>\n
Travel insurance is usually handled by an insurance company,
\nand is optional. Travel insurance usually costs between 15
\npercent and 40 percent of the package's value, depending on the
\ntype of coverage desired. In general, travel insurance is about
\n$25. Packages from several travel agents also exclude airport
\ntaxes of between 20 percent and 30 percent.<\/p>\n
If you sign up for a tour package that includes other cities
\nsuch as Shen Zhen, for instance, you are required to obtain a
\nvisa, which costs Rp 160,000 per person.<\/p>\n
When it comes to places of interest in Hong Kong, there are
\ncertain sights included in the city tour, which are a must-see.
\nThese include Victoria Peak, Repulse Bay, Ocean Park, Madame
\nTussaud's, a museum that houses waxed miniatures of world
\nfigures, Window on the World, a miniature world of tourist spots
\nand China's Folk Cultural Village. Several travel agents also
\ninclude a visit to Shen Zhen on the program.<\/p>\n
Local travel agents have said that demand for year-end tour
\npackages to Hong Kong had increased significantly this month.<\/p>\n
An executive at the Satriavi travel agency said travel agents
\nhad noticed a 50 percent increase in demand for tour packages to
\nHong Kong ahead of the Christmas and New Year's holidays.<\/p>\n
The demand for Hong Kong tour packages have come mostly from
\nindividual requests. \"The increase in demand is partly because it
\nis difficult to obtain a visa for those wishing to travel to
\nother countries,\" the executive said.<\/p>\n
At least 50 groups, each comprising 20 to 50 people, will join
\ntour packages offered by Wita Tour & Travel. \"Sixty percent of
\nthe travelers are repeat customers,\" the agent's spokesperson
\nsaid, adding that more bookings were expected to come in the
\nmiddle of the month.<\/p>\n
Avia Tours has also seen an increase in orders for its Hong
\nKong tour packages. Eddy Fendy said there had been an increase in
\nthe number of travelers to Hong Kong since the Idul Fitri
\nholiday.<\/p>",
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