Jakarta targets 1.5m foreign tourists

Jakarta targets 1.5m foreign tourists

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has predicted that
around 1.5 million foreign tourists will visit the capital this
year.

Fauzi Bowo, the head of the city tourism office, told
reporters on Saturday that the number of foreign tourists
visiting Jakarta is expected to increase by 10 to 15 percent from
the 1.3 million visitors last year.

On a national level, data shows that four million tourists
visited Indonesia last year, an increase of 17.8 percent from 3.4
million people in 1993.

"The target is realistic, especially in view of the city's
rapid economic growth," he said.

Fauzi said that the convention and exhibition businesses have
remained the firm mainstay of the city in luring foreign
tourists.

He expressed guarded optimism that the city would reach the
target, "given the generally excellent meeting and exhibition
facilities provided by the managements of hotels as well as
office buildings."

He also said that multi-purpose buildings such as the Jakarta
Convention Center, in Senayan, South Jakarta and Trade Mart
Center in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, could well cater to the
need of tourists who generally seek the comfort of Meeting,
Incentives, Convenience and Exhibition.

"Unlike any other places in the country where foreigners come
merely for pleasure, the main intention of foreign tourists to
visit the capital is generally for business," he said, adding
that usually they seek recreation after their business activities
are over.

He said the city has many advantages compared with other
cities in the countries. "The city has many multilingual and
professionally trained convention organizers as well as highly
experienced tourist guides and operators."

Since 1993, the city administration has simultaneously
promoted various aspects of the city, including tourism, trade
and investment sectors to the international community.

However, Fauzi acknowledged that coordination between related
offices still needs improvement in order to attract more tourists
and offer better services to them.(32)