Sukamdani launches books to mark hotel's anniversary
Sukamdani launches books to mark hotel's anniversary
JAKARTA (JP): Sukamdani Sahid Gitosardjono, founder and
president of the Sahid Group, launched yesterday two books on
hotels and tourism, to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of
his oldest hotel, and to mark his business expansion.
Sukamdani, in collaboration with his wife Juliah Sukamdani,
wrote a special book, entitled Wiratama Gelar Pariwisata, for the
inauguration of the completion of an expansion project of the
Hotel Sahid Raya Solo in Surakarta, Central Java.
In addition to the inaugural book, Sukamdani has written
another book on tourism, Pariwisata dalam Perspektif Pembangunan
Ekonomi Indonesia (Tourism in the Perspective of Indonesia's
Economic Development).
Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication Joop Ave is
expected to officially inaugurate the expanded four-star hotel on
July 8.
Sukamdani said the expansion of the Surakarta hotel cost
approximately Rp 45 billion (US$20 million), of which only 40
percent was accrued from bank loans.
The 12-story Sahid Raya Hotel has 102 standard rooms, 23
executive suites, 14 standard-plus rooms and one luxury suite. It
is equipped with a coffee shop, restaurant, conference room, 200-
chair banquet-size ballroom, swimming pool, business center and
fitness center.
Sukamdani said he was preparing to improve the hotel to a
five-star hotel because "this hotel is leaving me with a deep
memory".
Opened on July 8, 1965, as the Sahid Sala Hotel, with only 28
rooms, the hotel was the first one built by the Sahid Group
through its oldest subsidiary PT Sahid & Co.
The Sahid Group currently controls 14 hotels, across the
country, with a total of 2,621 rooms, including the publicly-
listed Hotel Sahid Jaya in Jakarta, and one apartment building.
In addition, Sahid also is developing two hotels in
Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, and Lombok, east of Bali, which
will add 400 rooms to the Sahid hotel chain next year.
Sukamdani said he was greatly optimistic about the future of
Surakarta as a major tourist destination because of the opening
of its airport as a new international gateway to Indonesia later
this year.
Singapore's Silk Air will start linking Singapore with
Surakarta twice a weekly later this year.(rid)