Domestic routes open to foreign airlines
Domestic routes open to foreign airlines
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie said on Thursday the
government would allow international carriers to enter all parts
of the country in a bid to boost the ailing tourist industry.
"I, as president, have decided to allow every foreign airline
to fly visitors from their home bases to any destination in
Indonesia," Habibie said at the opening of the Indonesian Travel
Mart here.
The President said the move was important to help the battered
tourist industry. He did not elaborate further but managed to
draw applause from the audience comprising members of the
domestic and international tourist industries.
Currently only 23 out of Indonesia's dozens of airports are
open to certain international carriers.
Foreign airlines only use some of the 23 airports, including
ones in Jakarta, Denpasar (Bali), Surabaya (East Java), Batam
(Riau), Medan (North Sumatra), Palembang (South Sumatra), Padang
(West Sumatra), Ujungpandang (South Sulawesi), Manado (North
Sulawesi), Balikpapan (East Kalimantan) and Pontianak (West
Kalimantan).
Even these airports are limited to certain airlines in a bid
to protect the national flag carrier, Garuda Indonesia.
Many foreign airlines have been complaining about not being
able to fly directly to Bali, the country's number one tourist
destination.
Local tourism-related businesses have claimed that opening
more domestic routes to international carriers would help boost
visitor arrivals which have dropped significantly.
Habibie also said during his 20-minute off-the-cuff speech
that the government would exempt tourist promotions from taxes.
The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association has called on
the government to cut levies and taxes imposed on tourism
promotion, research and development activities.
Habibie said Indonesia was currently suffering a negative
image because of unfavorable exposure in foreign media since the
massive riots in May. This had resulting in a drastic drop in
income for tourist-related businesses.
"There are perceptions in the international community that the
situation in Indonesia is not very safe. As a result many
potential visitors have changed their minds (about coming)," he
said.
Habibie called on the visitors to the mart, who include
foreign buyers and journalists, to spread the "accurate" picture
of Indonesia abroad.
"Indonesians are friendly and peace-loving people. Our
situation is very different from that portrayed by foreign media
which describe us as an uncivilized nation without humanitarian
values," he said.
The fifth annual Indonesian Travel Mart, which ends on
Saturday, is being held in the midst of economic and political
turmoil in the country and in the aftermath of the damaging May
riots which led to the resignation of president Soeharto.
Although the violence has subsided, protests by students and
other groups often disrupts traffic and has sparked fears of
further unrest. Food shortages have also sparked riots in several
isolated places outside the capital.
The chairwoman of the travel mart committee, Wuryastuti
Sunario, admitted that preparations for this year's event had
been more difficult than all the previous years.
"Consumers and tour operators all over the world had been
concerned for their safety when touring Indonesia... many
operators do not dare to take any risks with their clients'
safety," she said.
The travel mart has attracted 137 buyers from 28 countries,
and 25 foreign journalists. One hundred and thirty companies from
19 provinces in Indonesia are occupying 127 booths at the five-
day event.
Wuryastuti said the committee received sponsorship worth Rp
5.4 billion from the industry members in the form of cash,
airline tickets, hotel rooms, social functions and other
freebies.
The tourist industry is conducting the travel mart as the
third phase of its "Let's Go Indonesia" campaign, which consists
of public-relations and marketing gimmicks.
The current offer of cheap tour and hotel accommodation
packages dubbed "The Magic Month", ends this month. (das)