Hotels push Indonesia to tourists

Hotels push Indonesia to tourists

By Christiani S.A. Tumelap

JAKARTA (JP): Major local hotels are gearing up for a big
sales promotion to benefit from early signs of an economic
recovery and growing confidence in the country's security
situation.

According to the public relations manager of the Jakarta
Hilton International, Dewi Widiyanti, the hotel will improve its
business contacts with foreign travel agencies to take advantage
of the momentum.

The special emphasis in the promotion program will be on
attracting tourists from the Middle East and Eastern Europe to
Indonesia, she said.

Dewi said the Hilton recently, in cooperation with the
Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts, arranged a visit of a
delegation from East European and Middle Eastern countries,
consisting of travel agent representatives, travel writers and
journalists to see Indonesia's tourism potential.

"The situation has become more stable now, making it easier
for us to sell," she told The Jakarta Post.

The relatively peaceful general election early this month has
brought new hope for a quicker recovery in the country's economy.
Economic indicators are improving, with the rupiah showing
strength and the inflation rate easing.

Reports of religious and ethnic unrest in several parts of the
country over the past several months discouraged foreigners from
visiting Indonesia, emptying most of the country's star-rated
hotels, which also lost their local clientele due to the
country's worst ever economic crisis.

The Mandarin Oriental hotel's public relations manager, Ria
Leimena, said the hotel had also begun to boost its promotions.

"We promote our hotel here through all Mandarin chains
worldwide. We inform people out there that they have more than a
hundred reasons to visit Jakarta now," she said.

She said the hotel was also active in promoting tourism in
Jakarta by, among other things, participating in the current Bali
Travel Mart and launching a Jakarta food promotion.

Meanwhile, the Gran Melia hotel has been targeting Indonesians
and expatriates here by opening a new bar, Kelts, and has
prepared a special room package, according to public relations
manager Hanum Yahya.

"We hope the package will bring more guests to stay in our
hotel, just as the new pub has done for us," she told the Post.

She said the room package, costing Rp 650,000 and including
breakfast for two and entrance to a fitness center, would be
effective from July 15.

Nadira Alatas Sriwijanarko, public relations manager of The
Dharmawangsa, said the hotel was also offering discounts,
including the Tropical Summer and Week End packages.

"The Week End package is mostly taken by Indonesians. We have
so far three to four bookings per month," she told the Post.

She said the packages, costing US$180 and Rp 2 million
respectively per night for two people, excluding tax and service
charges, include breakfast at the hotel's Jakarta Restaurant or
in-room dining, traditional massage in the Spa, use of fitness
facilities and one return limousine transfer.

Despite the heady onset of promotions, hotel operators remain
cautious about the stability situation in the country, due to the
delayed vote count and the presidential election scheduled for
November.

Dewi from the Hilton expressed the concern that tourists would
not automatically come to Indonesia just because the campaign and
voting went well.

"Things seem to be fine here now. But people out there
probably will not come straight away because this is not the end
of the whole process," she said.

Hanum said Gran Melia has hired an Australian security
management company to train their staff on contingency plans for
an emergency situation.

"We are very optimist that more tourists will come and stay in
our hotel, especially because ours is located in quite a safe
area near the president's residence," she said.

"But we have to be realistic too," Hanum added.

Hotel operators said the smooth completion of campaigning and
vote-casting have helped increase room demand, though only very
slightly.

The average room occupancy rate for Mandarin is currently
between 32 percent and 34 percent, up from an average of 30
percent in May, while Gran Melia's stands at around 25 percent to
30 percent, up from 25 percent in May.