Surabaya long known as a shopping paradise

Surabaya long known as a shopping paradise

Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya

"Look ... cheap, but genuine silk from Saudi Arabia," shouted a
cloth seller at the Ampel Market in Surabaya promoting his
merchandise. However, a resident warned The Jakarta Post: "Don't
be easily fooled into buying it."

Not all silk cloth sold at the market is imported from the
Middle East. But to convince buyers, most sellers claim their
merchandise is from Saudi Arabia.

Besides being known as an area filled with religious settings,
there also lies the grave of Sunan Ampel, a Muslim proselytizer
in East Java, who was also known as a silk trader from Arabia.

Muslim prayer paraphernalia and dried dates are many to be
found here. After performing their haj rituals in Mecca, many
pilgrims usually buy souvenirs here that they had supposedly
bought in Mecca.

In addition to cheap prices, most of the things sold are of
the same kind and cheaper than those found in Mecca. And they
don't have the hassle of bringing back troublesome luggage from
Mecca.

The Surabaya municipality had designated the place as a
religious and shopping destination in 2004. Every holiday season,
the market is frequented by many people, be they locals or from
outside East Java and even the expatriate community, to shop for
textiles. Besides the Ampel market, the Kembang Jepun area, a
stone's throw from the Ampel Mosque, has also been established as
a wholesale trade and shopping area.

There are three wholesale trading centers located in the area;
the Atom, Turi and Jembatan Merah markets. The oldest traditional
market, the Pabean, is found in the Kembang Jepun area.

In 1743, the Kembang Jepun area was a center for the ethnic
Chinese community during the struggle against Dutch colonial rule
led by Oei Tai Pan, one of Chinese Emperor Jon Tsing's princes,
who fled China after losing his throne to his sibling, Kian Long.

Since then, the area was known as a trade hub due to the
flourishing pacht business scheme authorized by the Dutch Indies
Company for ethnic Chinese traders.

Apart from the Chinese community, the area was also home to
carpet, wooden dish and statue traders known as "wong keling", or
dark-skinned people.

Head of the East Java Tourism Office, Harun, said that because
of Surabaya long reputation as a shopping and trading center, the
East Java provincial administration has decided to promote the
city as a shopping destination in 2005.

The decision is reflected on the theme that has been adopted
for the 2005 Majapahit Travel Fair that will be held at
Surabaya's Tunjungan Plaza III from June 1 to June 5.

The East Java administration has been regularly conducting
travel fairs every year since 1999, with each year having a
different theme to present the province's potential, especially
in tourism related sectors.

Harun said that the reason Surabaya was chosen as a shopping
destination was due to the rapid growth of shopping centers in
the city.

Among the newly-built shopping centers in Surabaya are
Carrefour, Darmo Trade Center, Giant and the Pakuwon Trade
Center, while the older ones include the Jembatan Merah Plaza,
the Atom and Turi markets, the Tunjungan Plaza, the Surabaya
Plaza and the Galaxy Mall.

The Majapahit Travel Fair will involve 55 participants from
the hotels association, travel agencies, airlines, orchid growers
and handicraft producers.

Various handicrafts like Malang and Madura masks, Madura and
Sidoarjo batik, Gedhog Banyuwangi woven fabrics and the Mojokerto
Ponorogo lumping horse made of plaitwork will be exhibited at the
fair.

"Japan, Malaysia and several other Asian countries will also
participate in the event," said Harun.