Rich families 'to save' RI tourist industry

Rich families 'to save' RI tourist industry

SYDNEY (AFP): Money donated by wealthy Indonesian families is being pulled together by a former chairman of the Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) to resurrect the country's ailing tourism industry, a report said Tuesday.

John Haddad has been appointed by President B.J. Habibie's government as a special envoy to help kick-start Indonesia's troubled economy by rebuilding its third biggest export earner, the Australian Financial Review said.

A number of Indonesian families he had approached would be prepared to put up "substantial" funds to support the private- sector initiative, he told the paper.

"There are some families who have survived the crisis who are determined to do something to help their homeland," he said.

"I've had very strong indications from them that they will definitely come to the party to assist the Indonesian government to develop tourism."

Haddad, ATC chairman for 10 years until 1995, said most of the families were not previously aligned with the Soeharto regime and were eager to associate themselves with Habibie.

He will fly to Jakarta later this month and hopes his initial plans will be introduced in six to eight weeks.

Recruited by Indonesian Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Marzuki Usman, Haddad said the industry was generally in a "very confused" state with many centers outside of the resort island Bali "dying on their feet".

The country had benefited from an influx of European tourists taking advantage of the devalued rupiah, but much of the trade was low yield.

One of his first priorities, he said, was to produce a publication which shows off Indonesia's multi-faceted tourism products.