More tourists visit Jakarta

More tourists visit Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Foreign tourists arrival in the city increased
by 20.8 percent last year compared to the previous year, an
official said on Saturday.

Head of the City Tourism Agency Parlindungan Hutabarat said
1,098,521 tourists from numerous countries visited Jakarta
between January and November last year, up from 908,864 visitors
in the same period of 1999.

"The increase proves that we have restored our image in the
international community, thanks to the extensive promotion in
cooperation with our associates," Parlindungan said.

He said the tourists mostly came from Asia and Pacific regions
on package tours, which included hotel accommodation, a series of
trips to interesting places and shopping for souvenirs.

"We are projecting a 50 percent increase this year. I hope we
can get them to extend their stays and spend more money, because
Jakarta is not just a transit city," Parlindungan said.

The agency data revealed that the number of tourists in 1999
dropped to 908,864 from 1,057,104 in 1998, apparently due to
security concerns.

Regarding street protests which frequently took place in the
capital, Parlindungan said the rallies could be interesting and
an attraction for tourists. (07)