Services and tourism
Services and tourism
I want to protest strongly at the various unsavory activities that appear to occur on a regular basis in and around the bus station at Probolinggo, East Java. And no doubt I am not the first to complain.
I and two friends departed Padangbai, Bali by Baruna Bus Service, to Probolinggo in order to visit Mount Bromo and the surrounding area. We were aware that the bus would arrive at approximately 02.30, and from our guidebook knew we would find some clean but modest place to stay before continuing to Mount Bromo the next morning.
Arriving in Probolinggo, the bus deposited us (the only ones to leave) outside a small office with a "Tourist Information" sign outside and three or four men hanging around outside, also being shown into the office. We were informed there was no transport available except a private car to take us to the top of Mount Bromo, at an extortionate price of Rp 10,000 per person, also all the hotels and guest houses were closed and a long way from where we were.
But by chance, there was a small losmen nearby where they had rooms available. We went and looked at the rooms available and decided we had to accept them, as our only alternative appeared to be to sleep in the street. By this time we were feeling very intimidated by the presence of by now larger group of men. The losmen turned out to be rooms in a family's house, which were filthy and had extremely poor security. The young boy who took our money for the room even offered his own "services" as we were trying to go to bed.
The next morning, again at this "Information Office", we were subjected to more harassment and intimidation as we attempted to arrange transport by bemo (three-wheeled, motorized, public vehicle) up the mountain, with one man wanting us to pay him instead of the bemo driver for our journey. And also sitting in the bemo to the Cemara Indah Hotel in the hope of acquiring some commission from the hotel we had decided to stay at.
Our stay at Mount Bromo was very enjoyable and only marred by the exorbitant prices charged by the hotel for our onward bus ticket to Solo. On departure from Probolinggo Bus Station we were again subjected to intense harassment and dare I say animosity by various people who all appeared to demand money for "invisible" services.
These incidents have marred our otherwise very pleasant stay in East Java. My friends and I are all very experienced travelers. I myself have traveled for more than one year in Asia and have spent three months now in Indonesia and I also work in the tourism industry in the United Kingdom.
I would be grateful if you could answer my letter and reply to the following points.
* Why are bus companies dropping off passengers at the unofficial tourist office when the official tourist office is only 100 meters down the road? I can only wonder if there is a financial arrangement involved.
* Why are official guides allowed to operate in this way with intense harassment? As a tour guide in the United Kingdom, I have a code of practice that I must abide by as I am providing a service to other people visiting my home country and I would expect the same service to be offered to me.
* Why does the official tourist office fail to provide an efficient service in Probolinggo. In the decade of tourism in Indonesia, it is sadly lacking.
The above problems appear to be on going ones as we have spoken to many other travelers who have experienced the same treatment. It will get to the point where guide books will not recommend a stop in this particular area and have a disastrous effect on the local economy.
MS T. J. DALEY
Yorkshire, UK