Crisis puts brakes on rush to country's sports clubs

SUKABUMI, West Java (JP): Following a 45-minute drive from Jakarta's clamor, a young woman stands on a deafeningly quiet airstrip.

She slowly walks towards a bird of a machine. She has decided to try hang gliding, part of the amenities of the Aryaduta Hotel Lido open to the public.

"Have you ever flown a motorized hang glider before?" instructor Gerhard S. asks while strapping her into the backseat and securing the helmet straps around her throat.

"No."

Another woman rushes over to offer a jacket and advises the novice to "tie all of your hair in a tight knot. A few wisps out and the motor could chop your hair off."

Seconds later, the glider is neatly cutting through the air, flying at almost 3,000 meters above ground.

Gerhard guides the glider to a full 90 degree tilt. With the simple maneuvering of elongated bicycle handles, the woman gains a bird's eye-view of a magnificent landscape, streaked with miniaturized gorges and small lakes.

Puncturing this surreal mood with thought, Gerhard said beauty meant a lot of different things to people, but few were given the chance to feel what it was like to be a bird.

Back on the ground as fat drops of rain started to splitter- splatter, Gerhard's voice rang out loud and clear.

"If you liked that, don't forget that it's Rp 300,000 for an hour's ride. We could go for 15 minutes or a half-hour as well. Come back any time."

The manual, nonmotorized hang gliding, which costs the same, is much more challenging.

With the crisis hovering over insecure minds, only four or five people have showed up for motorized hang gliding on weekends since last August, compared to an average of seven before.

But Gerhard said there was no decrease in manual hang gliding for those "simply having a good time flying."

Flying activities at the 40,000 square meter airstrip include hang gliding, skydiving and ultralight and microlight aircrafts.

The hotel's general manager, Sake Scharringa, said those who made the most use of the aircraft facilities continued to be pilots, some expatriates and local businessmen who enjoy flying.

He added that since most activities required booking by hotel guests, the activities were dependent on hotel occupation numbers.

Bright

With a turnover of a little less than Rp 7 billion last year and a 15 percent increase in the occupancy rate, Scharringa said the situation was relatively bright until this month.

"Last year, our golf club alone generated Rp 3 to 4 billion alone," Scharringa said.

Now, he added, the effects of "the crisis really hit badly".

A fixed exchange rate of Rp 3,800 has been used at the hotel since February.

Lido's executive assistant manager Darren Earle said several projects were on hold due to the crisis.

Still in the pipeline are guided walks through 90 hectares of surrounding tea plantations and a theme park.

Twenty villas lie unfinished.

"Maintenance is really bad," Earle conceded.

Selling off the place, management sources said, might be an option if serious buyers showed interest.

Airstrip

The airstrip that hosted the sixth World Parachuting Championships in June 1996 may then continue to attract those who love to fly.

Basic hang gliding and advanced courses over 10 hours cost Rp 3.5 million each.

So far untouched by the hard times is the fairly new activity of all-terrain vehicles, restricted to hotel guests.

For Rp 50,000 a ride with an instructor, it earned Rp 5 million to Rp 7 million monthly, according to Jemmy Rodino, one of those in charge of the activity at Lido.

Although it is hard to imagine golf lovers giving up their affair with the links, some courses are using a fixed exchange rate to keep visitors coming back for another round.

A holdout is the Rancamaya Golf and Country Club. Located 55 km south of Jakarta along the Jagorawi toll road, the 450-hectare club is maintaining its membership fees at the going exchange rate.

Rancamaya's public relations manager, Henny Sukendi, said joining fees were US$45,000 and monthly fees $72.

"We go by the market exchange rate and have accumulated 800 memberships since 1995," Henny said.

"Due to the frequent use of the course -- most members play an average of three to four days a week -- we are not launching any promotion campaigns."

Henny said the club continued to do good business during the first two months of this year.

"It's strange but more people started to play on weekdays than ever before. In fact, during Ramadhan, people would play and then break their fasts here."

Henny has her own explanation for the upturn. Businesspeople, she said, were dogged by problems.

"So they like to end up on the golf course, playing with their friends and discussing business problems." (02)