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)