Terror alerts 'putting off tourists'

Terror alerts 'putting off tourists'

Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Renewed warnings by Western states of an imminent terrorist
strike in Indonesia have prompted some foreigners to cancel
planned trips to the country, tourism operators said on Thursday.

The Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies (Asita)
said several travel agencies had reported cancellations by groups
of foreign tourists over the last few days.

And there will possibly be more cancellations to come
following terror warnings by the United States, Britain,
Australia and New Zealand, it added.

"The warnings are coming in December, a peak season for
tourists visiting and spending Christmas and New Year's here.
This hurts our business a lot," Asita spokeswoman Meity Robot
told The Jakarta Post.

However, she said she did not have any data yet on the number
of cancellations.

"I think the tourists who canceled must be from non-Asian
countries. Most Asian visitors, especially those from Southeast
Asia, are already used to these kinds of warnings," Meity said.

Australia issued a fresh warning on Wednesday that a terrorist
attack could be carried out soon in Indonesia, possibly targeting
Western establishments such as hotels.

New Zealand issued a similar warning against traveling to
Indonesia, including Bali, over Christmas and the New Year after
the government received reports that terrorists were planning an
attack.

A more specific warning came from the United States Embassy in
Jakarta, which issued an alert over a possible attack on Thursday
or Friday on a Hilton hotel in Indonesia.

Meity said the simultaneous warnings would damage Indonesia's
tourism sector and the country's reputation as a tourist
destination.

"Since the Bali bombings in 2002, we have suffered poor
arrivals of foreign tourists. Renewed warnings like these will
not help," she said.

Separately, the public relations manager for the Jakarta
Hilton International, Eduardo Parengkuan, reassured the public
that the hotel had tightened security.

"Since we received the warnings from the Australian and U.S.
embassies yesterday, we have beefed up our security personnel and
asked for help from the Jakarta Police," he told the Post.

Eduardo said there had been no cancellations and that
everything was normal at the hotel.

"Our occupancy rate is currently 60 percent out of 1,100
rooms, which is better than our average," he said.

He said several guests had asked about the hotel's security
system following the warnings and that they were satisfied with
the Hilton's answer.

Eduardo said the hotel had not received any bomb threats
before the terror warnings were issued.

"We only receive warnings from embassies," he added.

Meanwhile, Qantas Airways, Australia's main airline, said it
was offering full refunds with no penalties to travellers who
canceled flights to Indonesia, Reuters reported.

Qantas and Australian travel agents said they had received few
calls from concerned passengers.

"With a destination like Bali, it's been so difficult for
people to get there, with flights being full. People are probably
a little bit reluctant to cancel straight away," Qantas flight
center spokesman Haydn Long was quoted as saying.