Lagoi beyond local tourists' reach

Lagoi beyond local tourists' reach

Fadli, The Jakarta Post/Batam

Not many domestic tourists are informed about the Lagoi resort
area located in Bintan Island, North Bintan district, Riau
Islands province, although it is said to be the biggest such
resort area in Indonesia, even in Asia, encompassing an area of
about 23,000 hectares.

The resort is situated 10 kilometers east of the industrial
island of Batam, and can be reached in 35 minutes by ferry.

However, don't even think about Lagoi's pristine scenery if
you don't have a lot of money. That's why the majority of
Indonesians are less familiar with Lagoi than their Singaporean
neighbors, who frequently visit the resort, which is famed for
its white sandy beaches.

The Lagoi resort was opened by former president Soeharto and
former Singaporean prime minister Goh Chok Tong on June 18, 1996.

After nine years in operation, only a few selected Indonesians
have enjoyed the beauty of Lagoi, besides high-ranking government
officials on complimentary one-day stays in the seven resorts
available, or playing golf on courses designed by Jack Nicklaus,
Ian Baker Finch, Greg Norman or Gary Player.

Public Relations and Media Manager Nia Firtica of the Bintan
Resort Development Corporation (BRDC), which manages the Lagoi
resort area, told The Jakarta Post recently that the tourist
resort was not exclusive.

Based on BRDC data, most tourists visiting Lagoi are
foreigners. At least 15,000 foreign tourists come to Lagoi each
month, while Indonesians account for not more than 10 percent of
the total figure.

"We also market the Lagoi resort for Indonesians. There's no
reason for us to reserve the area for foreigners. However, many
things might have make Lagoi less familiar to Indonesians, such
as limited means of transportation and less promotion in the
Indonesian media," said Nia, whose office is in Singapore.

The Lagoi resort area consists of seven resorts and star-rated
hotels; the Mana-mana Beach, Mayang Sari Beach, Nirwana Garden,
Banyan Tree Resort, Bintan Lagoon Golf, Club Med Bintan and
Banyan Tree Golf, with a total room capacity of 1,200. There are
also 100 villas.

The room rates offered by each resort or hotel vary, but are
still expensive by the standards of most Indonesians. For
example, the room rate at the Nirwana Garden start at S$220 and
go up to S$1,000 per night.

Meanwhile, a villa ranges from S$900 to S$2,500 per night.
Local tourists even find it bothersome just to look around
the resort area due to the strict security.

When compared to the attractions of Bali, which is already
renowned the world over as a resort island that attracts both
domestic and foreign tourists, Lagoi trails far behind. Bali is
famed for its cultural identity, besides its white sandy beaches.
Although the beaches in Lagoi are on a par with those in Bali,
yet it is hard to find any specific cultural identity like that
of Bali.

Such a cultural identity needs to be developed in Lagoi in
order for it to become as popular as Bali.

A local cultural observer, Tarmizi Rumah Hitam, told the Post
recently of the need to promote the local Malay culture which has
been handed down ever since the glorious days of the Malay
kingdom. In addition, Raja Ali Haji, a national hero who was
known for his gurindam (a type of poetry), .

Promoting the Malay culture in Lagoi could be initiated by,
for example, introducing the Malay cultural arts, such as dances,
the history of the Malay kingdom and the Malay community's way of
life.

"Let the tourists know about the Malay culture so that Lagoi
reflects something of Indonesia. Highlighting the local culture
would also make domestic tourists feel they're still in their own
country, and not in a foreign land," said Tarmizi, who is a
member of the Riau Islands Arts Council.

The Lagoi resort contributes some Rp 4 billion (US$421,052) to
the local administration's coffers every year.