Botanical Gardens visitors down

BOGOR: The number of visitors to the Bogor Botanical Gardens during last week's Idul Fitri holiday fell sharply compared to last year, a staff member said on Monday.

Administration staff member Suciyasno said that only 62,221 people visited the garden from the first day of Idul Fitri on Nov. 3 to Sunday, Nov. 6, down from 68,196 over the same period last year.

The garden management had prepared 150,000 tickets.

Suciyasno suspected that the recent fuel price hike had made it difficult for people to visit the gardens.

"It has become more difficult even to buy daily food and I think people thought it was better to spend their money on food instead of recreation," Suciyasno said.

The government raised fuel prices last Oct. 1, with Premium gasoline rising from Rp 2,300 to Rp 4,500 per liter, while diesel fuel rose from Rp 2,100 to Rp 4,300.

The hike has pushed up prices of basic commodities. --JP