Accor Asia-Pacific puts Banten's delights on the map
By I. Christianto
JAKARTA (JP): World-class hotel management company Accor Asia- Pacific is looking to develop more properties in Tanjung Lesung in Banten, West Java, in addition to its existing four-star property in the emerging tourist resort area.
Company executive Oswald Pichler believed Tanjung Lesung's distinctive attraction was that it was within easy reach of Jakarta but still comfortably removed from the hassles of the big city in a supremely beautiful location. Nestled along a natural peninsula bordering the Sunda Strait, Tanjung Lesung is notable for its outstanding attractions.
"The whole Tanjung Lesung area, including the Tanjung Lesung Resort Hotel which is managed by Accor, has a beautiful setting facing the sea," he said.
New sites
It is developed by PT Banten West Java Tourism Development Corporation, which aims to develop promising new sites in western Java for tourism as well as supporting services. It is inviting major international travel and hospitality industries to jointly develop the ambitious project.
Banten, approximately 85 km west of Jakarta, is notable for its glorious remnants of ancient buildings and sites brimming with historical significance. Only a three-hour drive from Jakarta, Banten offers idyllic beaches ideal for swimming, snorkeling, fishing, water skiing and sailing.
There are the pleasing nature reserves, a spectacular volcano, several endangered animal species, coral reefs, stunning scenery and an anthropological adventure among the indigenous communities.
Among its areas for conservation and preservation, it also has strength in industrial and business sectors.
Pichler promised the development of Tanjung Lesung would be magnificent.
"That's why we want to operate another hotel in the complex as we think one hotel will not be enough for the whole Tanjung Lesung when it's completed."
Compared with other tourist locations supporting Accor's hotels, he said Tanjung Lesung was outstanding in offering a deluxe style resort, a beautiful setting and the opportunity for relaxation and quiet.
Tanjung Lesung Resort Hotel, he said, is the ideal site for weary Jakarta residents to rest and relax.
"It's just like a recharging process after working in a metropolitan area with moderate rates."
With a new government in the country, Pichler said it was Accor's aim to increase public awareness of its hotels in Indonesia.
"We have survived because we believe that we should stay after the critical situation in Indonesia."
Accor is about to relaunch its image, he added.
"We want to increase the awareness that we're here with thousands of rooms." He said promotions, sales, road shows and advertising campaigns were planned domestically and internationally.
Quality
Accor, a subsidiary of the French hotel management giant Accor SA, is currently the leading international hotel chain in Indonesia, running 30 hotels and apartments with more than 4,600 rooms under several names, including Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure and Ibis.
It manages 3,300 hotels and resorts around the world. In Indonesia, Accor has incorporated PT AAPC Indonesia to establish itself as the largest and most dynamic hotel group in the country.
As with other hotel chains in Indonesia, Accor recorded a decrease in its occupancy rate in the last couple of years due to the country's multiple economic and political crises. There is hope for a stable economic and political situation under the new government.
"We also expect to see an increase at the Tanjung Lesung Resort Hotel as the tourist projects in the complex are expanding," Pichler said.
He said the hotel recorded 25 percent to 30 percent in occupancy rates on weekdays.
"But there's a long waiting list for the weekends," he said.
"When the whole Tanjung Lesung is more elaborate, more people will be living there. Some of their relatives, families and friends will come to see them. Meanwhile, some guests will extend after Sunday.
"So we believe there are more guests to come. In addition, there'll be also a conference room which will be available for companies which want to hold meetings or something else."
Pichler noted that Tanjung Lesung Resort Hotel and other Accor hotels in Indonesia charged rates in the rupiah.
It is beneficial for local people, he said. The fall of the rupiah against the greenback caused Indonesian travelers to focus on domestic trips instead of the pricey prospect of venturing abroad.
A new Bali
Pichler lauded the Tanjung Lesung Resort Hotel's Banten-style exterior design and exotic panorama, which he called "just like Bali years ago".
Tanjung Lesung Resort Hotel offers 61 cottages with 114 rooms, including private dining pavilions.
Guests are able to select various water recreation activities and sports, including jet-skiing, wind-surfing, sailing, snorkeling, fishing, watercraft, canoeing and scuba diving. Other activities comprise a banana boat, glass bottom boat, water polo, beach volleyball, table tennis and excursions to Krakatau and Ujung Kulon.