Fewer tourists visit C. Java after riots

Fewer tourists visit C. Java after riots

JAKARTA (JP): The number of visitors to Central Java has
dropped over the last few weeks because of rioting in several
towns.

The head of Central Java's tourist office in Semarang, Sri
Subagyo, said "the trend is caused by the coverage of the riots.
Many people are afraid because of reports of the riots which
rocked several places in Central Java recently".

Sri said the number of tourists would drop further if there
was no action to counter it.

"I am worried because the decline in tourists will damage
earnings of tourist-related businesses," Sri was quoted by Antara
as saying.

Sri said the tourist office should immediately conduct a
series of promotions.

Riots have hit the Central Java towns of Pekalongan, Wonosobo
and Banjarnegara, Rembang and Temanggung in the last few weeks.

There have also been riots in East Timor and West Kalimantan
this year.

Analysts said the growing tension in the political system
ahead of the May elections could spark further riots.

Sri said the drop in foreign tourists was also because of the
foreign media's exaggerated coverage of the riots. "We are
disappointed with such unfavorable news".

The Central Java Tourist Office aimed for 570,335 foreign
visitors and 14.37 million domestic visitors this year.

There are 197 tourist destinations in Central Java including
Borobudur Temple, Baturaden in Wonosobo and Taman Sriwedari in
Surakarta.

But the minister of tourism, post and telecommunications, Joop
Ave, said the riots had not and would not have any negative
impact on tourism.

"We have to be sure that we can reach our tourism target this
year and it will depend on our marketing strategy," he was quoted
by Antara as saying in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara.

Indonesia expects to earn between $7.2 billion and $7.8
billion on 5.3 million to 5.7 million foreign tourists this year.

The government expects the tourist industry to be Indonesia's
biggest foreign exchange earner by the end of the Seventh Five-
Year Development Plan in 2004. (icn)