Hotels fully booked for Zheng He festival
Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang
Most of the star-rated and budget hotels in Semarang are fully booked as the celebration of the 600th anniversary of Zheng He's voyage draws near.
The majority of the people booking accommodation are Chinese-Indonesians who are coming from all over the country for the celebrations between Aug. 3 and Aug. 7 in the Sam Poo Kong and Tay Kak Sie temples and the Central Java Trade and Promotion Center (PRPP)
"We have to turn down guests because we are fully booked. Many guests made reservations two months in advance," said a public relations officer at the Graha Santika Hotel in Semarang, Fifie Febriani, on Wednesday.
Fifie said all the hotel's 128 rooms had been booked from August 3 to August 7. "We have prepared 60 rooms specifically for guests attending the Zheng He festival. We have reserved the remaining rooms for our regular guests," she said.
At the five-star, 200-room Hotel Ciputra there are no vacancies either.
"We have to turn down newcomers as all our rooms are reserved. Most of our guests are domestic tourists here for the Zheng He celebrations," said front desk employee Ani.
Still in the Simpang Lima area of Semarang, the 160-room Hotel Horison, which is located near Hotel Ciputra, has no vacancies from August 2 to August 4.
"The guests are eager to see the festival," said its receptionist Rita.
Middle-of-the-range hotels like the Elizabeth Hotel are also turning potential guests away. A receptionist at the hotel said that all their rooms had been booked since last month.
Only 10 percent to 20 percent of the reservations have been made by foreign tourists.
Public enthusiasm over the festival is also evident in the number of exhibition stands offered at the PRPP complex.
Organizing committee member Giantoro Wibowo said only 50 stands had been prepared. "(But) There is still a demand for stands. We have to build new ones so they won't be disappointed," he said.
In the Chinatown area of Semarang such as on Jl. Wot Gandul, Jl. Baru, Jl. Lombok, Jl. Warung, Jl. Pinggir and surrounding areas, shops are selling paraphernalia, including T-shirts depicting Admiral Zheng He, the great Chinese explorer. Lanterns are also selling well, not to mention paper flags. In short, many people are gaining "good fortune" from Zheng He -- a trade and politics emissary of Yung Lo, a Chinese Emperor of the Ming Dynasty -- who traveled throughout Asia with over 27,000 men in the 15th century, at one point landing in Semarang.
Parking attendant Parnowo, for example, was charging Rp 2,000 for a motorcycle and Rp 5,000 for a car during Saturday night's dress rehearsal for the festival, he usually charges Rp 1,000 for a motorcycle and Rp 2,000 for a car.
"This is not a routine event. Even though I'm not Chinese, I still get my share of fortune," he said.