Cafes, bars turn quite after Bali carnage
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Cafes and bars frequented by tourists and expatriates have been almost deafeningly silent following Saturday's terror attacks in Bali that apparently targeted innocent foreign tourists, and sparking fears of a massive business downturn throughout the country.
"I am afraid the situation will get worse as many foreign tourists have been leaving in a rush following the Bali tragedy," said Slamet of Memories Cafe on Jl. Jaksa, in Central Jakarta, which is one of several popular restaurants/cafes for backpackers and expatriates to hang out.
Slamet said his cafe had experienced about a 50 percent plunge in net sales since Saturday night's bombings, and that he was worried about the future of the business.
On Monday, there were just a handful of foreigners and locals at the cafe, well below its relatively bustling norm.
Sulis Tio Sukron with the Badonci bar in Kemang, South Jakarta also complained about the slow business. He said several of his regular diners, who are students of international high schools here, called to cancel their dinner reservations in the last couple of days amid security fears.
"Most of them said they could not come because their parents would not let them go out at all," said Sukron.
Sukron also has experienced about a 50 percent plunge in business over the last two days.
Amid heightened security concerns, Sukron said, his security people would personally cooperate with police and military officers from nearby posts.
"We have tightened our security while we are also ready to report any incident which is suspicious here," said Sukron.
Meanwhile, Danar, marketing coordinator at the nearby Salsa Cafe revealed that the impact of the Kuta carnage would be much worse, for Indonesian businesses, than the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attack last year.
"The incident could sink our business further as Bali was known as the safest place. But, after the bomb attack, where else could be claimed as a safe place, certainly not Jakarta?" Danar remarked.
Two backpackers from France who had just arrived in Jakarta, Istradelle and Manuelle, expressed concern over security in the city, but had yet to decide whether or not they would just turn around and leave.
"We've just arrived, and we only know a little bit of information (about the incident). We will go to the (French) Embassy to get the latest information," said Manuelle as he was looking for a room on Jl. Jaksa.
Manuelle said that they had originally planned to stay in Indonesia for three months with Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Bali on the top of their itinerary, yet that plan would have to be changed.
"Definitely, we won't visit Bali. But, we still want to visit Yogya. It depends on lots of things. Security concerns, especially, will be on the top of our consideration whether or not we will shorten our stay here," he said.
Adrian Maelite of the Indonesian Association for Entertainment Center Owners predicted that there would be a sharp drop in the number of international guests to the capital in the coming months.
"On Sunday evening, there were hardly any foreigners visiting entertainment centers here, including the Tanamur discotheque," he told reporters on Monday, referring to the popular nightspot located on Jl. Tanah Abang Timur, Central Jakarta.