Tourism potential

Tourism potential

By opening the Bintan tourist resort the Indonesian government
has acknowledged tourism as having major foreign exchange
potential. The government hopes to have 11 million tourists visit
Indonesia in 2005, earning US$15 billion. The income is expected
to improve the people's welfare through the creation of jobs.

To achieve this target the government should support and
intensify efforts to make Indonesia the first-choice destination
in Asia. Complete tourist information would be a beginning.
Attractive brochures should be made available in all Indonesian
embassies abroad coupled with information on the availability of
good and convenient transport and hotel accommodations. Each
province should also clean up their towns.

Jakarta's city administration should set up more parks, arts
centers and have a second landmark after the national monument.
Like Lombard Street in San Francisco, Jakarta could have a scenic
road with a variety of flowers and plants unique to Indonesia.
There should be statues, preferably ones that refer to such great
epics as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. The first Mahabharata
statue could be placed at Soekarno-Hatta airport, another episode
at Grogol and the last part of the story might take place in
Taman Mini. We have already have one artistic work from the
Mahabharata -- the Arjuna Wijaya (Victorious Arjuna) at the end
of Jl. Merdeka Barat, in front of the Indosat building.

The Jakarta administration's plan to develop northern Jakarta
-- the fish market, Glodok and its surroundings -- into a
"Jakarta of the Past" tourist spot is laudable and feasible. This
area will offer a number of ancient buildings bequeathed by the
colonialists. To this we should add proper and well-designed
restaurants.

Every Jakartan has high expectations for this ever growing
city.

HENDRIK SETIAWAN

Jakarta