Reviving Puncak an uphill battle

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Puncak, West Java

The Bogor tourism agency is fighting to reinstate Puncak as one of the 10 top tourism spots in Indonesia by organizing a paragliding competition.

Puncak, the high-altitude tourist resort in West Java, has been off the Association of Indonesian Travel Agents' (Asita's) top ten tourist spots list for two years because Asita considers the region dirty, congested and full of street vendors.

The head of the Bogor tourism agency, Arry Sunardi, said that holding sports competitions was one of the strategies that the administration would use to revive the region's image and its popularity among both foreign and domestic tourists.

Besides offering fresh mountain air, Puncak also offers perfect spots for paragliders to float thousands of meters above the ground while enjoying spectacular views of tea plantations in the region (see photo).

However, problems with hawkers and congestion have caused Puncak to become a mere stop-over for people on their way to Bandung, the capital of West Java.

"The administration has been working hard to revive the region's image as a tourism destination. Besides relocating the vendors, we will also hold several competitions that will allow athletes to enjoy the natural scenery of the region," Arry said.

The three-day competition, which was held from June 17 to June 19, attracted 26 paragliders 12 provinces.

The administration hopes that the athletes will spread the word about their experience of the natural beauty of Puncak, so that domestic tourists will return to throng the hill area once more.

In the past, Puncak was neatly planned, with roads lined on both sides with colorful kana flowers (Canna orientalis). Today, the flowers have given way to hundreds of hawkers.