Hoteliers encouraged to lodge formal complaints to tax offices

JAKARTA (JP): Director General of Tourism Andi Mappi Sammeng yesterday prodded hoteliers to lodge formal complaints against provincial tax officials who deter them from installing computerized adminsitation systems at their hotels.

"I know that tax officials in several provinces have discouraged hotels from computerizing their administration as they were afraid of losing the opportunity for malfeasance which has so far been made possible through data manipulation," Andi told reporters after opening a seminar and exhibition on hotel systems at Hotel Indonesia yesterday.

He said that hoteliers could lodge complaints with the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI).

He said that electronic data processing systems will improve the efficiency of hotel operations, will make customer service much easier and smoother and will produce more accurate data.

Andi, however, refused to mention the provinces where tax officials had discouraged hotels from computerzing their administration.

Andi also said that his office fully supports the suggestion of the hotel industry that the price hotel's pay for electricity should be the same as factories.

"I agree that hotels should be classified as industrial users with regard to the electricity tariffs and not as luxury house customers which are charged much higher rates," he said.

The state-owned electricity company PLN classifies electricity usages into three categories-- housing, industry/business and public/government offices. Electricity usage for industry costs less than for housing.(icn)