Economic crisis hits tourism

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi: The spiraling economic crisis has hit tourism hard in the popular Tana Toraja regency, an official said yesterday.

Tana Toraja regent Tarsis Kodrat said that since the economic crisis began last July, revenue from the tourism sector had dropped by 40 percent compared to the previous 12 months.

Last year, the local administration got only Rp 400 million (US$40,000) from tourism while in 1996 the sector contributed Rp 600 million to the state coffers.

Revenue continued to decline in January.

Before the crisis, some 200,000 foreign tourists visited Tana Toraja but the number is expected to decline to 60,000 this year. Local tourist arrivals are also expected to decrease.

Foreign media have reported that news about riots in many areas has deterred foreign holidaymakers from coming to Indonesia.

The decline in tourism in Tana Toraja poses the heaviest blow to the Rantepao district, which relies heavily on the industry, Tarsis said. (30)