New Jakarta visitors guide to be published in August
JAKARTA (JP): PT Media Dutaservisindo publishing company in collaboration with the Indonesian Hoteliers & Restaurateurs Association (PHRI) plans to publish its first guidebook to Jakarta in August this year, company executives announced here on Thursday.
Pri Sulisto, chief commissioner of the company, which publishes several business, lifestyle and industrial guides and directories, said the 250-page guide would be published annually and be aimed mostly at tourists and business travelers.
"Starting from tomorrow, our sales representatives will begin roaming around promoting the guide," Pri said at the sales launching of the book titled, Visitors' Guide To Jakarta.
The 289 millimeters by 210 millimeters book will feature many advertisements from companies operating in related industries, such as hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, entertainment centers, tourists attractions and business centers.
Mohamad Zein Saleh, a director of PT Media Dutaservisindo, said his firm may spend as much as Rp 600 million (US$81,000) for the printing and the publication of 20,000 copies of the English- language guide.
"The copies will be distributed to all hotels in Jakarta on a free-of-charge basis," Zein said.
Company staffer Sortaria added that the book would later be available to the public at certain bookstores for around Rp 150,000 per copy.
"But we haven't yet decided on the exact price of the guide," she said.
The company has set June 30 as the deadline for advertisers. Prices will range from Rp 22 million to Rp 47 million for a full- color page.
PT Media Dutaservisindo is the joint publisher of the annual The Jakarta Post Lifestyle guide. Its other products include Visitors Guide to Bali, Jakarta Business & Industrial Guide, Jakarta Shopping Mall Guide and Jakarta Executive Guide.
Pri said the Visitors Guide to Bali and the planned Visitors Guide to Jakarta were the fruits of its partnership with Singapore-based SingTel Yellow Pages, which has -- under the same scheme -- helped the publication of similar editions in Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan.
The plan to publish the new guide received strong support from the Jakarta administration and the association.
"We really hope that the guidebook will help restore the image of Jakarta," said Onky Sukasah, the city secretary's assistant for development, who also attended the sales launching.
Sharing the view, head of the city's Tourism Agency Witjaksono Moewardi admitted that Jakarta's image had been badly tarnished by the riots that hit the capital in May 1998.
"We cannot do much to change foreigner's thoughts about Jakarta since they have their own preconceptions," Witjaksono said.
Yanti Sukamdani Hardjoprakoso, the association's chairperson, strongly hoped that the publication of the new guide would help restore the capital's image and boost its hotel and restaurant business.
"We cannot sell mountains to tourists here in Jakarta" she said, referring to Jakarta's absence of natural tourist attractions. (bsr)