Hilton plans to focus on its three hotels

Hilton plans to focus on its three hotels

JAKARTA (JP): While many new international hotel management
firms have been expanding their chains in Indonesia, the Hilton
Hotels Corporation of the United States appears reluctant to
follow suit.

Hilton began its hotel business in Indonesia in October 1976
by managing the Jakarta Hilton International, which is owned by
PT Indobuilco.

Ria Leimaena, the public relations Manager for Hilton Jakarta,
told The Jakarta Post yesterday that there are currently three
Hiltons in Indonesia. The other two are the Patra Surabaya Hilton
in Surabaya, East Java, and the Bali Hilton International in Nusa
Dua, Bali.

"Hilton will likely concentrate on the three hotels instead of
operating new ones in other areas in the country," Ria said.

In the last few years, many foreign international hotel chains
such as Sheraton, Accor, Shangri-La, Radisson, Melia-Sol and
Holiday Inn have expanded their chains in the country.

However, Conrad, a subsidiary of Hilton Hotels, will open a
five-star hotel in the Sudirman Central Business District on Jl.
Sudirman, just in front of the Hilton Jakarta, and is still
negotiating a management contract with another hotel in Surabaya.

The Surabaya Hilton is owned by PT Patra Indonesia and Bali
Hilton by PT Bani Gati Betegak. The three owning-companies are
controlled by the Sutowo family.

Bali Hilton's public relations Manager Joyce Luthe, told the
Post that her hotel guests were mostly Japanese tourists supplied
by overseas travel agents.

"There are many luxurious hotels in Nusa Dua, but we succeeded
in increasing our occupancy rate from 79.46 percent in 1993 to 86
percent last year. In January we reached 81.65 percent," she
said. (icn)