Ragunan zoo regains visitors
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bogor
After it was closed in September after 19 of its birds were infected by bird flu virus, Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta began to see visitors returning again during Idul Fitri on Thursday and Friday.
On each of the days, over 10,000 visitors visited the zoo.
"I came here because the government has guaranteed that the zoo is free of bird flu. Besides, where in Jakarta can you find such an affordable attraction?" Suparto, one of the visitors, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Ragunan Zoo charges only Rp 3,000 as an entrance fee to view its vast collection of animals.
Zoo spokeswoman Titisari Punto Rini acknowledged, however, that the number of visitors coming to the zoo had dropped significantly compared to last year's visitors, which reached 124,000 during Idul Fitri.
"We are still recovering from the impact of the bird flu scare. We hope to regain our normal number of visitors in the next few months," she told the Post.
Unlike the zoo, hotels and villas in the Puncak resort area saw almost no visitors this year.
Adjat, an employee of Vila Prabu Putragus on Jl. Raya Puncak, said no room bookings had been made at the villas.
"The situation is different from last year, when all our rooms were booked out one month ahead of lebaran and also for Christmas and New Year."
Puncak is a popular place for Jakarta residents to spend their weekends and holidays.
"Maybe the decline was caused by the high increase in fuel prices. People may have chosen to stay at home rather than spend their money at a hotel or villa," Adjat said.
A similar comment came from Lina, an employee of Taman Safari Indonesia, which has 150 rooms, comprising hotel rooms, caravans and bungalows. Its rates range from Rp 1.1 million to Rp 4.5 million for three nights.
Lina said that last year, 75 percent of the establishment's rooms were occupied one week ahead of Idul Fitri. This year, just three days before Idul Fitri, only 50 percent of the rooms had been booked.
She also blamed the increase in fuel prices for the decline in the occupancy rate.