Botanical Gardens visitors down

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