Terror alerts 'putting off tourists'<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Renewed warnings by Western states of an imminent terrorist
\nstrike in Indonesia have prompted some foreigners to cancel
\nplanned trips to the country, tourism operators said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies (Asita)
\nsaid several travel agencies had reported cancellations by groups
\nof foreign tourists over the last few days.<\/p>\n
And there will possibly be more cancellations to come
\nfollowing terror warnings by the United States, Britain,
\nAustralia and New Zealand, it added.<\/p>\n
"The warnings are coming in December, a peak season for
\ntourists visiting and spending Christmas and New Year's here.
\nThis hurts our business a lot," Asita spokeswoman Meity Robot
\ntold The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
However, she said she did not have any data yet on the number
\nof cancellations.<\/p>\n
"I think the tourists who canceled must be from non-Asian
\ncountries. Most Asian visitors, especially those from Southeast
\nAsia, are already used to these kinds of warnings," Meity said.<\/p>\n
Australia issued a fresh warning on Wednesday that a terrorist
\nattack could be carried out soon in Indonesia, possibly targeting
\nWestern establishments such as hotels.<\/p>\n
New Zealand issued a similar warning against traveling to
\nIndonesia, including Bali, over Christmas and the New Year after
\nthe government received reports that terrorists were planning an
\nattack.<\/p>\n
A more specific warning came from the United States Embassy in
\nJakarta, which issued an alert over a possible attack on Thursday
\nor Friday on a Hilton hotel in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Meity said the simultaneous warnings would damage Indonesia's
\ntourism sector and the country's reputation as a tourist
\ndestination.<\/p>\n
"Since the Bali bombings in 2002, we have suffered poor
\narrivals of foreign tourists. Renewed warnings like these will
\nnot help," she said.<\/p>\n
Separately, the public relations manager for the Jakarta
\nHilton International, Eduardo Parengkuan, reassured the public
\nthat the hotel had tightened security.<\/p>\n
"Since we received the warnings from the Australian and U.S.
\nembassies yesterday, we have beefed up our security personnel and
\nasked for help from the Jakarta Police," he told the Post.<\/p>\n
Eduardo said there had been no cancellations and that
\neverything was normal at the hotel.<\/p>\n
"Our occupancy rate is currently 60 percent out of 1,100
\nrooms, which is better than our average," he said.<\/p>\n
He said several guests had asked about the hotel's security
\nsystem following the warnings and that they were satisfied with
\nthe Hilton's answer.<\/p>\n
Eduardo said the hotel had not received any bomb threats
\nbefore the terror warnings were issued.<\/p>\n
"We only receive warnings from embassies," he added.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Qantas Airways, Australia's main airline, said it
\nwas offering full refunds with no penalties to travellers who
\ncanceled flights to Indonesia, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n
Qantas and Australian travel agents said they had received few
\ncalls from concerned passengers.<\/p>\n
"With a destination like Bali, it's been so difficult for
\npeople to get there, with flights being full. People are probably
\na little bit reluctant to cancel straight away," Qantas flight
\ncenter spokesman Haydn Long was quoted as saying.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/terror-alerts-putting-off-tourists-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}