Tourist arrivals drop due to security fears<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The number of foreign tourists predicted to visit the capital
\nwill fall by 10 percent this year, mostly owing to security
\nconcerns, an official said.<\/p>\n
\"Many overseas tourists may feel reluctant to come here given
\nthat the capital's security image continues to deteriorate,\" said
\nHanifah, a chief market analyst of the Jakarta Tourism Office, on
\nTuesday in a dialogue between tourist operators in Central
\nJakarta and the mayoralty administration.<\/p>\n
Hanifah said such foreign tourists appear likely to choose
\ncountries perceived as being safer.<\/p>\n
In all, the numbers of tourists from overseas visiting the
\ncapital over the course of the past year declined slightly to
\n1,187,385, down from 1,187,776 the previous year.<\/p>\n
Security has become the major concern among many in the
\ntourist business, buffeted by the worldwide economic downturn
\nwhich has also dealt a blow to Indonesia's tourism sector.<\/p>\n
Data from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture shows that
\naround 5.15 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia last year.
\nIt fell short of the target of 5.4 million arrivals.<\/p>\n
The burning issue of terrorism following the New York attacks
\nlast September appear to have had profound effects on the
\nindustry here.<\/p>\n
A tourist operator on Jl. Jaksa, Central Jakarta, Boy
\nLawalata, expressed concerns that the foreign visitors coming to
\nthe entertainment spots alongside Jl. Jaksa plunged drastically
\nto only 100 a day this year -- from 600 before the economic
\ncrises.<\/p>\n
\"During the course of three months this year, the visitors
\nalso continue to drop by 30 percent. Such an alarming condition
\nreally worries us,\" he groaned.<\/p>\n
Jl. Jaksa, along with Jl. Sabang, Jl. Wahid Hasyim, and
\nPecenongan, are popular with their round-the-clock amusement
\nspots, especially for back-packers.<\/p>\n
\"Instead of concentrating on foreign tourists, now we are
\nturning our focus to expatriates and domestic visitors to drum up
\nbusiness,\" Boy said.<\/p>\n
Chief of Central Jakarta Tourism Office, Noorchamid A. Kahar,
\nsaid the concerns of security had been responded to by the
\ngovernment immediately.<\/p>\n
\"Recently, we have invited tour operators and travel writers
\nfrom Japan, Britain and Mexico to visit Jakarta and see for
\nthemselves if the rumors about the country's poor security are
\naccurate.\"<\/p>\n
Noorchamid said they could help disseminate information to
\npolish the capital's tattered security image.<\/p>\n
A five-star hotel executive warned that a strong campaign
\npromoting Indonesian tourism would be in vain should the
\ngovernment do nothing to improve the infrastructure which
\nsupports the tourism business.<\/p>\n
\"Damaged roads, out-of-order telephone booths and blacked-out
\nstreet lamps, for example, must be repaired immediately,\" said
\nRajasa of the Borobudur Hotel.<\/p>\n
Improvement in infrastructure, coupled with innovations in
\nservices and products, would do much to tourist arrivals here, he
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tourist-arrivals-drop-due-to-security-fears-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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