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)