Jakartans flock to West, Central Java for APEC holidays

Jakartans flock to West, Central Java for APEC holidays

JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of Jakartans fled to West Java's major
tourist destinations, such as Bandung and Carita, and even as far
as Semarang, in Central Java, and Yogyakarta.

The out-of-season visitors who booked hotels, strolled along
streets and browsed in shopping centers were Jakartans trying to
make the most of the government's decision to declare Monday and
Tuesday public holidays.

Congestion being one of the capital's major headaches, the
decision to declare a holiday was made to reduce traffic so as to
facilitate the smooth run of transporting APEC delegates between
the conference venues and hotels where they are staying.

Besides visiting tourist destinations, many Jakartans are
using this opportunity to visit relatives in their ancestral
hometowns.

The hordes of Jakartans visiting Bandung, the capital city of
West Java, have caused traffic jams in the city's main streets,
such as Jl. Cihampelas, Jl. Lingkar Selatan, Jl. Sudirman and Jl.
Setiabudi and also around tourist sites.

According to data from local police, there were around 50,000
cars with Jakarta number plates in Bandung on Saturday.

Antara news agency reported that many Jakartans also traveled
to the city by train even though there was standing room only.
All seats were sold out several days earlier.

Hotels in Bandung, from five-star such as Panghegar and
Horison, to middle and low range such as those on Jl. Pasirkaliki
and Kebonjati, were fully booked.

"The visitors mostly booked rooms for four days starting
Friday," Nina, a hotel manager in Bandung, told the news agency.

The West Java coast is also filled with Jakartans. Around 100
hotels in Merak, Anyer, Cinangka and Carita have been fully
booked since Saturday.

Cottages, villas and houses were booked by those desiring
recreation after a mundane week of work.

Hotel occupancy rates jumped from an average of only 35
percent to 99 percent over the long weekend.

People are also renting rooms in houses owned by locals, who
have doubled rates from Rp 10,000 (US$4.57) to Rp 20,000 per day.

City cars

Parking lots in hotels and guest houses near tourist sites
around Yogyakarta are full of cars with Jakarta number plates.
The guests have mostly booked rooms for three days ending
Tuesday.

"I'm using the holiday to visit Yogyakarta with my family,"
Sulistyo, an employee of a private company in Jakarta, said as
quoted by Antara.

Malioboro, the famous street in downtown Yogyakarta, was full
of visitors buying handicrafts. "I have sold lots of handicrafts
over the last two days because there are a lot of tourists," said
Andi, a vendor.

This unexpected influx of tourists has caused traffic jams in
streets in the Malioboro area.

Jakartans who originate from Central Java were seen milling in
Terboyo bus terminal and Tawang railway station in Semarang
waiting for buses to other small towns in the province.

Antara estimated that the number of passengers who traveled by
both bus and train is 30 percent higher than on other days.

The activity at Achmad Yani airport in Semarang increased due
to the extra number of passengers from Jakarta. Mandala Airlines,
one of Indonesia's private airline companies, has provided
additional flights to meet the demand.

The local authorities have decided to increase the number of
public transport vehicles with the aim of preventing anyone
trying to return to Jakarta from getting stranded.

An officer at Bandung railway station said the state-owned
railway company Perumka had decided to provide additional train
carriages.

Tickets for trains plying Semarang-Jakarta on Monday were sold
out by Saturday. (yns)