Millennium bug scares away foreign tourists
Millennium bug scares away foreign tourists
JAKARTA (JP): Numerous foreigners have canceled trips to Bali,
Indonesia's most popular tourist destination, due to fears over
the millennium bug, an executive with the Indonesian Hotel and
Restaurant Association (PHRI) said here on Thursday.
PHRI deputy chairman Feisol Hashim said about 30 percent of
hotel reservations for year-end holidays in the resort island had
been canceled.
He attributed the cancellations to Indonesia's inadequate
preparations for possible impacts of the Year 2000 computer bug.
"Most of the tourists who canceled their bookings are from
Japan, and some are from European countries and the United
States.
"With the relatively large number of cancellations, hoteliers
in Bali will have to face the fact that occupancy rates will not
be as terrific as they predicted. They will see something below
50 percent (occupancy rates) on average," he said.
He said several countries, including Japan and the U.S., had
recommended their citizens not travel to countries that had no
assurance of Y2K compliance.
Y2K refers to problems computerized systems may face at the
turn of the century if they fail to distinguish between the year
1900 and 2000.
The glitch could cause computers to shut down or malfunction.
Power supplies may falter, telephones and transportation systems
may stop operating and automated banking transactions may fail.
As a precaution, Japan Airlines has rescheduled all of its
flights to avoid flying when the year changes.
Taiwan-based EVA Air said it would suspend its connecting
flights between Denpasar and Surabaya on New Year's Eve due to
concerns over the Y2K preparedness of the airports in the two
cities.
Feisol said tourists doubted the Y2K compliance of Indonesia's
tourism-related sectors, including aviation, banking,
reservations, electricity and telecommunications.
Director general of tourism I Gde Ardika denied suggestions
Indonesia was not prepared for the Y2K bug.
"We are ready for it. All critical sectors, including
telecommunications, transportation and aviation, banking,
electricity, have completed their Y2K preparations," he said.
"Tourists should not doubt our efforts in anticipating and
preparing all our facilities and systems," he said.
Hotels and related sectors in Bali earlier estimated a sharp
increase in the number of foreign tourists to the island at the
turn of the millennium.
"The reality is different. Even bookings from Bali's major
market, Australia, are low," he told journalists on the sidelines
of a seminar on tourism.
Unlike foreign tourists, local tourists are eager to celebrate
the New Year on the resort island, he said, adding that it was
hoped the sharp increase in the number of domestic travelers
would offset the drop in foreign tourists.
He said hotels in Bali received more visitors in December last
year than the same month this year, even though 1998 was
considered by hoteliers to be filled with more uncertainty than
1999. The average occupancy rate in December 1998 was over 60
percent.
Bali saw around 106,775 foreign visitors in December last
year. Total tourist arrivals to the island reached 1.18 million
in 1998.
Indonesia expects 404,530 foreign visitors in December this
year and about 4.8 million foreign tourists for the entire year.
(cst)