Cell-phone Based Tourism Information

In order to boost the number of tourists visiting Surabaya, the Surabaya administration and the Surabaya Tourism Promotion Board will launch the Surabaya Tourism Mobile Service (STMS) program, which provides information for tourists via cellular phones.

According to Yusak, the number of tourists visiting Surabaya has been increasing every year. In 2007, 136.000 foreign tourists and 3 million domestic tourists came to the capital city of East Java. In 2008, there were 118.000 foreign tourists.

Surabaya Deputy Mayor Arif Affandi said the STMS program is a form of information technology that strives to provide accurate and practical tourist information services to the public through their cellular phones. "This is a breakthrough," Arif said.

Tourism industry generates Rp 70 trillion in national income

The Indonesian tourism industry contributed up to Rp 70 trillion towards the nation's economy throughout the course of 2008, an official at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Monday.

According to the Ministry's Directoral General for Marketing Sapta Nirwandar, the tourism-generated income was driven by fact that 6.45 million foreigners visited the country with each spending up to US$ 1178 per day last year.

"Even though we are in the midst of a global economic downturn, the Visit Indonesia 2008 program achieved favorable results," Sapta said, as quoted by kompas.com.

That's why the program will continue in 2009, he said.

400,000 Korean Tourists Visited Indonesia in 2008

In a retrospective look at the year 2008, the Indonesian Embassy in Korea couldn't celebrate more on the enhancement of relations, especially in people-to-people exchanges.

The number of Korean tourists visiting Indonesia reached a startling 400,000, a 25-percent jump from the previous year.
``Tourism is very encouraging,'' embassy charge d' affaires Foster Gultom said during a speech at a year-end party.

Indonesia has risen to the top of the list of favorite destinations for vacationers from Korea, although the number has currently stagnated due to the global financial crisis.

The island of Bali, for example, is one of the most attractive destinations for tourists and honeymooners because of its climate, temperature, affordability and exotic atmosphere.

With regard to the record-high increase, Gultom extended a special thanks to Korean tourist agents, who attended the party, for their efforts in promoting his country.

They received warm thanks with exquisite food and traditional dance performances: ``Janji Semirang'' from Bali, ``Aduh Manis'' from West Java and ``Ngaronjeng'' of the Betawi, a native ethnic group living in the capital Jakarta.

Minister Wacik Lobbies for North Bali Airport

Suggesting There May be Little Alternative, Jero Wacik Urges Serious Consideration for a New Airport in North Bali.

(1/3/2009) Radar Bali reports that there are two schools of thoughts are forming on the future of Bali's international airport. One, led by Bali's Governor Made Mangku Pastika, seeks to expand the current airport at Tuban. The other option being championed by Indonesia's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik, favors building a new airport in Bali's north.

Driving the Minister's argument are the many – and some would suggest impossible, impediments entailed in trying to expand the current airport. Rather than deal with the issues of land availability, environmental opposition and engineering challenges engendered by trying to extend and widen the current runway - Minister Wacik has turned his focus to promoting the creation of a modern new airport in the far north of the Island.

Saying that a North Bali airport would automatically address the uneven economic development between the Island's North and South, Wacik makes the practical argument: "Bali needs a large infrastructure. If now, the Ngurah Rai Airport is already inadequate, what's going to happen in 20 years when clearly it will be unable to accommodate domestic and international flights."

As a short term step, Wacik is calling for a review of Bali's current airport, determining finally if it can be widened or lengthened while also looking at the option of operating two airports in Bali.

Wacik told the press that the people of Bali must remain flexible in their thinking as regards meeting the need for an airport. If continuing problems with the current airport regarding the inability to extend the western end of the runway into the ocean or the eastern end into the environmentally sensitive mangrove reserve cannot be resolved, Wacik insists the option of a new airport must then be seriously considered. This same flexibility of approach should also allow the consideration of the possibility of Bali operating two airports, with Wacik pointing to the island nation of Singapore that manages to sustains three airports.

The Minister also warns that the planning and building of a new airport in Bali would require a time frame of 5-10 years to complete. While insisting he is neutral on where a new airport in Bali might be located, Wacik says Gianyar would not work because it is too close to the current airport, prompting him to propose that Bali's far north of Buleleng may be the most appropriate site for a future airport.

Talking to the press and using his extended arms to illustrate a landing aircraft, Wacik said his preliminary thoughts suggest that the village of Bungkulan, Kubutambagan would be well-suited for a large airport facility.

Wacik is optimistic that an airport in North Bali would support Bali's tourism and spread the economic benefits of tourism to areas of Bali where unemployment and drop-out rates are high. Challenging his fellow Balinese, Wacik said: "If your thinking is stagnant and maintains expansion of the airport can't be done; or you can't be bothered with considering expanding the present airport; or you argue the current airport is sufficient – well, so be it! But with the single stipulation that you should stop having more children. More people need more employment opportunities. If your thinking is stagnant, where are these kids going to find employment?"

Meanwhile, a recent "open house" meeting conducted by Governor Mangku Pastika, there was wide-spread support from those wishing to expand the current airport at Ngurah Rai Airport.

© Bali Discovery Tours. Articles may be quoted and reproduced if attributed to http://www.balidiscovery.com. All images and graphics are copyright protected.

Lara Djongrang: Authentic Indonesian cuisine with a touch of history

Entering Lara Djonggrang restaurant on Jl. Teuku Cik Di Tiro, Menteng, Central Jakarta, one feels like they are stepping into an antique house and a museum at the same time.

Passing a great banyan tree with its aerial prop roots dangling in the front yard of the restaurant, visitors can see a large Ganesh statue as well as a Budha statue near the entrance.

Inside, the dimly lit restaurant fashions antique floor tiles, fountains and relief from temples.

Lara Djonggrang restaurant, named after the heroine in a Javanese legend, is one of the restaurants of Anhar Setjadibrata, owner and designers of Tugu Hotels, infamous for his love of historical antiques.

Conceptualize by his daughter Annete Anhar, the restaurant serves authentic Indonesian cuisine, based on royal journeys made by King Hayam Wuruk, who rules the Kingdom of Majapahit in the 14th century.

A replica of the statue of Lara Djonggrang at Prambanan temple was placed in the Lara Djonggrang dining area, a romantic candle-lit wine lounge, with long wooden benches and shadow puppets on the walls.

The tale of Lara Djonggrang is about a Javanese princess who refuses to marry prince Bandung Bondowoso who murdered her father. To avoid the marriage, she told Bandung that she would marry him if he could build 1,000 temples overnight. Assisted by demons, Bandung finished 999 temples before Lara Djonggrang tricked the demons into thinking it was dawn. She fooled the demons by asking her maid to pound rice to wake the rooster that crow at dawn. Filled with rage, Bandung cursed Lara Djonggrang into stone.

Lara Djonggrang,
Jl. Teuku Cik Di Tiro 4,
Menteng, Jakarta.
Tel: 3153252
Opening hours: 11 a.m.-1 a.m. daily.

Garuda set to hatch new Flights

The Jakarta Post Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia on Wednesday announced it would open 16 new routes this year, comprising 13 domestic and three international routes, as an initial step in its expansion plan until 2013.

The new routes, to be opened in stages from Jan. 16, will be later supported with 14 new Boeing 737-NG passenger aircraft which are due to arrive mid-2009. "We need to establish a strong network, especially in the Indonesian region, so we can create new markets for our new planes more easily," Garuda spokesman Pujobroto told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Garuda currently operates 54 aircraft, including six new 737-NGs delivered last year. By 2013, Garuda plans to have 128 planes in its fleet, including 50 new 737-NGs and 10 new 737-300ERs that are currently under construction.

Garuda launched its Yogyakarta - Singapore route on Dec. 16, and its Jakarta - Shanghai - Denpasar - Jakarta route on Dec. 20, to cash in on market opportunities over the holiday season. Mainly serving domestic routes, Garuda also provides flights to international destinations including Japan, Australia and the Middle East. Garuda had operated flights to six European cities before the European Commission (EC) in mid-2007 banned all Indonesian aircraft from entering European airspace on safety concerns following a spate of fatal accidents.

Garuda's new routes for 2009 1. Jakarta - Tanjungkarang (Lampung) 2. Jakarta - Malang (East Java) 3. Jakarta - Makassar - Kendari (Southeast Sulawesi ) 4. Jakarta - Makassar - Gorontalo 5. Jakarta - Makassar - Sorong (Papua) 6. Jakarta - Makassar - Ambon (Maluku) 7. Jakarta - Makassar - Palu (Central Sulawesi ) 8. Jakarta - Jambi 9. Jakarta - Manado - Ternate (Southeast Maluku ) 10. Jakarta - Balikpapan - Tarakan 11. Jakarta - Pangkal Pinang 12. Denpasar - Lombok (West Nusa Tenggara) 13. Denpasar - Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara) 14. Denpasar - Adelaide (Australia) 15. Denpasar - Hong Kong 16. Surabaya - Hong Kong 17. Jakarta - Shanghai (China) - Denpasar - Jakarta (commenced Dec. 20, 2008) 18. Yogyakarta - Singapore (commenced Dec. 16, 2008). (hwa) Source: The Jakarta Post

January - February Events

Reiseliv, Norwegia
Li Lestrom, Norwegia, 10 - 13 Januari 2008

ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF)
Bangkok, 21-26 January 2008

3rd Phase Convention on Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (IJEPA)
In Jakarta, 9-14 February 2006.

Cooperation Project for the Construction of Historic Building in the Asia Pacific Region
Held in Japan on 14-19 February 2006.
The 25th Annual Meeting Convention of the Council Directors of ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC)
Held in Tokyo, Japan, from 28 February - 1 March 2006.

Lake Toba tourists rescued from high winds, waves

A group of six fishermen have rescued 10 local tourists being dragged by high sea wave during their holiday visit to Toba Lake of Samosir island in North Sumatra on Thursday afternoon, state news agency Antara has reported.

The tourists who come from Medan took two boats which would bring them to enjoy the lake beauty. The drivers could not control their boats when strong wind and wave struck the boats heading to the island from Garoga beach.

Garoga beach's organizer then called the fishermen to help rescuing the tourists, while other visitors looked anxious in watching the rescue process.