Since the J Pier is restricted and closed to the public, invitees to the Tall Ship had to pass strict procedures, therefore, it was decided that an open ship session inviting Miami citizens to the ship was not held. However, the cocktail party received a warm welcome from the Indonesian Community. Several traditional dances were performed, including the Badinding (from Minangkabau/Padang, West Sumatra),the Reog Ponorogo (from Ponorogo, East Java), and the Rampak Gendang (from West Java). The traditional art performances were also interspersed with contemporary music given by the Dewaruci Band.

Indonesian communities living in Miami were enthusiastic to mingle and take pictures with the crew and cadets of the Dewaruci, as if a balm for their homesickness. They were thrilled to listen to distinct Indonesian music such as Dangdut, Campursari, and traditional songs. Adding to the “home” ambience was the variety of Indonesian popular culinary dishes served including Fried Rice, Bakso, Rendang, and many others.
The voyage of the Tall Ship Dewaruci circumnavigating the globe in year 2012 is both a diplomatic and educational mission. The voyage has also become a media to promote Indonesian Tourism, supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. The ship will also take part in the Operation Sail 2012 in the United States which is held to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the War.

(Source : live report Kapten Laut (KH) Sapto Budiarso for www.indonesia.travel

3 Comments

Yoreparoo
Posted on 6 May 2012 at 09:26

Take food worshiper Lamtiur Hasibuan, 27, as an example. She spends her weekends strolling around the capital enjoying her favourite restaurants, or sampling the food of new restaurants.

“If I don’t go to one of my favourite restaurants, I just pick a random area and see what kind of food is available there, anything from street vendors to a fancy restaurant,” Tiur said.

If she finds the food delicious, no matter how expensive, it is guaranteed she will return with friends.

“When it comes to culinary, the taste comes first, then the price. Hunting food in Jakarta is fun, you don’t know what kind of food you can find in the different areas of the city,” the pork meatball enthusiast said, adding that her favourite locations for food hunting are Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta and Kota in West Jakarta.

Tiur also said that because there were many options now available in Jakarta, she no longer had to travel abroad to satisfy her culinary interests.

Private employee Dwi Gunarwati, who also shares similar opinions with Tiur, said Jakarta was a great city for food lovers from all income brackets seeking to satisfy their hungry tummies.

Besides the many foreign franchise restaurants available, the emergence of local restaurant chains and ubiquitous food centres offering affordable hard-to-resist dishes has pleased food lovers, Dwi said.

“I can see there has been a massive development in the city’s culinary sector in the past few years. Well, that’s good. Food lovers can choose all kinds of meals depending on their taste, while at the same time giving a chance for local businesses to boom,” said Dwi, who loves sushi.

Jakarta Tourism Agency head Arie Budhiman said the rapid growth experienced by the food and beverage sector in the capital had made it one of the most promising sectors in tourism.

“The culinary sector has a lot of potential in Jakarta. It’s no longer about fulfilling the food needs of the people, but has also become a lifestyle for some,” he said.

Arie said the habit of many Jakartans to gather and hang out while enjoying the food offered at cafes’, restaurants or even at street-side food centres had in some way helped boost the city’s tax revenue.

Such habits have also driven the rapid growth of 24-hour convenience stores that provide food and beverages, such as 7-Eleven and Lawson.

According to Jakarta Tourism Agency, in 2011, there were a total of 3,497 food and beverage businesses in Jakarta; 2,738 of which were restaurants, 704 were bars and 55 food courts. The total number was an increase from 3,181 recorded in 2010.

The culinary sector contributed to half of the city’s tax revenue from tourism in 2011, totaling 1.01 trillion rupiah (US$109 million), up from 835 billion rupiah in 2010. The total tax revenue from tourism in 2011 was 2.17 trillion rupiah, according to the Jakarta Tax Office Agency.

However, Arie said, the culinary sector in Jakarta could develop further if some of the policies regarding food imports were loosened.

“Restaurants are real economic hives that can generate a huge amount of tax revenue. I don’t think it’s supposed to be burdened by tight taxation systems,” he said.

(The Jakarta Post)

Badan Pengembangan Sumber Daya Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif sangat yakin terhadap kemajuan sumber daya manusia di Indonesia. Mereka yakin SDM lulusan sekolah tinggi pariwisata di Indonesia bisa mengangkat potensi wisata Indonesia di kancah internasional.

“SDM kita nomor 35 dari 125 negara di dunia. Di Asia kita nomor 2, setelah Singapura,” ungkap Prof I Gede Pitana, selaku Kepala Badan Pengembangan Sumber Daya Parekraf, dalam diskusi di Kemenparekraf, Jl Medan Merdeka Barat, Jakarta.

Beberapa sekolah tinggi yang bergerak dalam bidang pariwisata di Indonesia yang saat ini sudah mulai mengembangkan sayapnya di tingkat internasional. Namun, ada dua Sekolah Tinggi Pariwisata (STP) yang berhasil mendapat sertifikasi tingkat internasional.

“Di Asia Pasifik, hanya 16 yang dapat sertifikasi, yaitu STP Bandung dan STP Bali,” ujar Pitana.

Untuk level SDM sendiri, Indonesia memiliki tingkat yang cukup membanggakan. “Lulusan dari sekolah tinggi pariwisata di Indonesia sudah unggul di kawasan Asean. Untuk tingkat dunia akan segara menyusul,” kata dia.

Diungkapkan pula, pentingnya kerja sama dengan pihak luar, seperti universitas di luar negeri. Hal tersebut diharapkan mampu meningkatkan kualitas SDM di Indonesia.

“Bandung sudah hampir pasti bekerja sama dengan universitas di Inggris (Leeds Met University-red). Nantinya mahasiswa kita sudah bisa mendapatkan dua gelar sekaligus dalam waktu hanya 15 bulan,” jelas Pitana.

Untuk mendukung pengembangan SDM pariwisata, pemerintah daerah harus ikut membantu. BPSD juga berupaya mengembangkan kualitas SDM dalam pemerintah daerah dalam koridor otonomi daerah.

“Kami sudah mulai untuk mengembangkan SDM pemerintah daerah. Semenjak otonomi daerah diberlakukan, khususnya daerah terpencil. Langkah ini belum pernah dilakukan,” ungkapnya.

(Detik Travel)

Cocos Islands adalah kepulauan kecil yang terdiri dari 27 pulau koral dan 2 pulau atol, terletak sekitar 1000 km dari Jakarta, yakni sebelah selatan Pulau Jawa di Samudra Hindia, dan 2800 km dari Perth, Australia. Penduduknya sekitar 600-an orang. Cocos Islands masuk dalam teritori negara Australia sejak 1955 setelah sebelumnya dikuasai Inggris, dan Srilanka.

Nah, yang unik dari pulau ini adalah bahwa 90% penduduknya adalah muslim, dan beretnis Jawa dan Melayu. Betul, mereka adalah keturunan para pekerja yang didatangkan oleh Inggris dari Jawa pada abad 19, untuk bekerja di perkebunan di sana. Konon, para keturunan Jawa ini masih memegang budaya Jawanya, bahkan di antara golongan tuanya, masih ada (mungkin sedikit) yang masih bisa berbahasa Jawa. Bahkan di dalam logo kepulauan tersebut, terdapat tulisan berbahasa Indonesia “Maju Pulau Kita”. Bahkan wayang kulit diadopsi menjadi gambar di perangko nasional Australia. Dulunya, wayang-wayang yang dibuat di Cocos  itu mereka buat dari kulit hiu kering, sedangkan dalang terakhir mereka Mbah Itjang meninggal pada tahun 1949.  Wallahualam

Pemerintah Australia secara tegas mewajibkan penggunaan bahasa Inggris di sekolah-sekolah di pulau tersebut, bahkan konon anak-anak yang masih menggunakan bahasa asli mereka, dulunya dihukum. Wallahualam.

Banyak orang Jawa yang bahkan tidak pernah tahu keberadaan saudara-saudara mereka di pulau kecil nan terpencil ini, yang saya tahu, beberapa tahun lalu ada rombongan turis dari Malaysia yang berwisata ke pulau ini. Wajar saja, karena keturunan melayu Malaysia juga banyak. Kedatangan mereka, tentu saja menjadi obat rindu etnis Jawa/Melayu disana…yang begitu jauh terpisah dari mana-mana, dan jarang bertemu orang dari luar wilayah mereka.

Kita sering mendengar dan mempelajari Suriname, tentu saja, dimana banyak keturunan Jawa yang ada di sana. Namun kita seolah melupakan saudara kita di selatan sana. Kalau ada waktu, kalau ada dana, visit Cocos Islands. Say hello to them, from GNFI.

]]> http://goodnewsfromindonesia.org/cocos-islands-darah-daging-indonesia/feed/ 0 http://goodnewsfromindonesia.org/indonesias-rich-ocean-resources-are-a-major-tourist-draw-but-must-be-carefully-preserved/ http://goodnewsfromindonesia.org/indonesias-rich-ocean-resources-are-a-major-tourist-draw-but-must-be-carefully-preserved/#comments Sat, 31 Mar 2012 02:34:41 +0000 Farah Fitriani http://goodnewsfromindonesia.org/?p=12290 Thirty percent of the 7.6 million visitors to Indonesia are drawn by the country’s natural beauty, and a large part of these come to this archipelago for its 600 and more amazing dive sites and coral reefs, said Minister for Tourism and Creative Economy, Mari Elka Pangestu opening the Deep and Extreme Indonesia exhibition in Jakarta on Thursday, 29 March 2012.
Nonetheless, we should be careful that Tourism should not only improve the local economy but it should also induce communities to preserve the wealth that nature has provided us.

Fishermen should be instructed not to use bombs to catch fish. But conversely, they should also be provided with alternative livelihood. Learners in diving should be taught not to step on and therefore damage coral reefs, since these new shoots take years to grow.

As a special interest attraction, dive sites should not be overcrowded and destinations should be aware of the environment’s carrying capacity. In the preservation of marine destinations, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy in cooperation with the Ministry for the Seas and Fishery and the Ministry of Forestry work together to both improve the economy of the local population at the same time preserve the environment.

In the Wakatobi islands in South East Sulawesi, for example, the government works together with the private sector and NGO to preserve Wakatobi’s pristine seas.

Minister Mari concedes that development of marine based tourism is still handicapped by limited infrastructure and transportation. For this reason, the government at National and Regional level will continue to work together with the private sector and all shareholders to attract more investors to develop islands and marine-based tourism in Indonesia.
The Deep and Extreme Indonesia exhibition is ongoing at the Jakarta Convention Centre from 29 March – 1 April 2012, where national and international participants in a hundred stands are ready to provide to the public information on diving and adventure tours, equipment and gear, and other services.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Indonesian Divers Association, Freddy Numberi said that the Association continues to improve the quality of dive instructors as well as teach tourists to be more sensitive of the environment.
To further promote Indonesia’s abundant marine-based destinations and attractions, Indonesia will attend the Dema Show in Las Vegas, USA, from 14- 17 November 2012, informed Minister Mari Pangestu.

taken from Indonesia.travel

Statistic showed that while France has revised her economic growth from 1.5% to 0.5%, the number of French tourists visiting Indonesia in 2011 increased by 7.74% to 170.532 from a total of 158.280 in 2010. Whereas, the number of tourists from England was up by 3.73%, the Netherlands by 2.88%, and Germany by 2.29%. One supporting factor towards this achievement was Indonesia’s participation in various international Tourism promotion events such as the Salon Mondial du Tourisme held in Paris from 15 to 18 March 2012.

In contrast to other business trade expos, the Salon Mondial du Tourisme is the biggest consumer oriented tourism fair in Paris. Here, travel agents meet directly with potential tourists looking for travel destinations. Participating in the event, the Indonesia Pavilion featured 9 travel agents. At the Indonesia Pavilion, Nia Niscaya, Director for Overseas Promotion of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy remained optimistic on the increase of French tourists to Indonesia.”We are very proud of this achievement, since we only conducted minimum promotion and participated only in two major tourist events in France. Nevertheless, the role of VITO or the Visit Indonesia Tourism Office in France has also been significant since it promotes Indonesian Tourism in the French Market” stated Nia Niscaya as quoted in tvonenews.tv.

The Indonesia Pavilion also received the honor of a visit from the French’s Minister of Tourism, Frederic Lefebvre.
With the economic crisis still engulfing Europe, there are worries that the number of French tourists to Indonesia would decline in 2012. The Indonesian Ambassador for France, Rezlan Ishar Jenie advised the Indonesian tourism industry to continue promoting.”We cannot just watch the crisis, but we must see beyond this to the stage of post-crisis. Therefore, we need to anticipate the momentum of the European interest in Indonesia, especially in France”, added Ambassador Rezlan Ishar Jenie.

The tourist industry in Indonesia is determined to persistently conduct promotions for Indonesia by highlighting destinations outside of Bali. This is in line with the “Beyond Bali” strategy of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy which this year focuses on promoting new Nature and Adventure destinations such as Mount Bromo, Tana Toraja, Raja Ampat, Wakatobi, and Derawan.

Source: tvonenews.tv

Located in the Sulawesi Sea on the coastal shelf of East Kalimantan, these islands have powder-fine beaches, lush interiors and mysterious lagoons with stingless jellyfish. Explore this hidden paradise before the inevitable rush of tourists.

Derawan Island
Derawan is a fishing island about three hours by speedboat from Berau that has developed as a dive resort. Stilted guesthouses suspended over turquoise water, manta rays with seven-metre wingspans and friendly locals are all part of its charm: this is an island that time forgot.

The pace of life here is bucolic and unhurried, and four days can easily turn into a week. Wander the tear-shaped island’s sandy streets and mix with the genuinely welcoming and curious locals over some ikan bakar(grilled fish), before stepping over a six-foot monitor lizard to watch the sky ignite with a spectacular sunset.

Take a room at any of the basic, wooden guesthouses, and head straight to the sea. The reef has been decimated in parts by dynamite fishing, but you will still find a huge amount of underwater life, with a smorgasbord of cuttlefish, octopus, pygmy seahorse, scorpion fish, clownfish and giant green turtles.

Savvy divers head here from all corners of the world, lured by the extraordinarily rich marine life. Derawan Dive School offers diving around the island, as well as diving and snorkelling forays to the nearby islands of Maratua, Sangalaki and Kakaban. The budget traveller should try guesthouse and dive outfit Losmen Danakan (west coast of Derawan Island; 086-8121-6143) who run cheaper, local dives. Not to worry if you are not diving with a tank; free diving down a reef wall beside giant green turtles and manta rays is just as much fun.

Multi-coloured Pelangi Guesthouse (west coast Derawan Island; 081-347-807-078) has basic rooms with balconies jutting out into the Sulawesi Sea for around 183,000 rupiah a night, and can organize diving boats or lend you snorkels and fins. If you are looking for something more upmarket, Derawan Dive School has several high luxe cabanas with polished wood floors and air conditioning for around 300,000 rupiah.

Conservation programs
Up until 2002, the vast majority of turtle eggs laid on the island were collected by locals to sell, representing a major source of income outside of fishing. But thanks to the World Wildlife Federation partnering with the islanders, the beaches where hawksbill and green turtles lay their eggs are now fully protected.

Over the last 10 years, turtles have been tagged, and the volume of eggs they lay has been carefully monitored. If you want to get involved during your stay, head to Losmen Danakan, where the Turtle Conservation Group is based.

You will be able to accompany the wardens and other volunteers on their evening vigil for poachers – and if it is full moon, you will be able to watch mother turtles lumbering from the shallows and up the beach. This new eco initiative is already paying dividends, with turtle populations stabilizing and providing a steady income for islanders through low-impact tourism.

The Sangalaki Archipelago
Fifty minutes away by boat is the uninhabited and stunningly beautiful Sangalaki Island, where manta rays flock in numbers for the plankton-rich waters. As they flap and soar through the sea, these giants of the deep are as mysterious as they are alien, often staying for a week before vanishing. Alleged cyanide fishing has depleted their numbers, but reports of seeing them are regular.

If manta rays do not pique your interest, a 10-minute boat ride away from Sangalaki Island is Kakaban Island, where a brief walk from the jetty to its interior brings you out by a lagoon where you can swim with non-poisonous jellyfish. With no direct predators, over thousands of years these creatures have lost their sting.

Maratua, another island in the Sangalaki Archipelago, has even greater numbers of non-poisonous jellyfish in its lagoon, as well as a very strange coral reef. Spectral fluorescent spires and swaying technicolour starfish loom out at you as thousands of jellyfish brush up against you in the chalk-green waters. Maratua and Derawan are the only habited islands in the archipelago, and an airport is planned on Maratua for 2013. This would make access even easier, although it is being contested by environmentalists looking to protect the resident hawksbill turtles.

A 10-minute boat ride across the turquoise waters from Maratua brings you to Nabucco Island Resort, a boutique hotel set on its own island amid sand spits and trippy rock formations. Most of the guests to its flower-filled grounds spend little time in their luxury cabanas or the excellent restaurant; they are too busy heading out with the hotel dive school to nearby Barracuda Point, searching for hammerhead sharks, tuna and barracuda.

Whether you come to these islands as a traveller on a budget or a dedicated diver, the feeling is the same; exhilaration matched with a sense of discovery, for paradise never lasts forever.

(BBC Travel)

Meskipun jumlahnya masih dibawah Singapore, Thailand dan Malaysia,  turis asing yang datang ke Indonesia terus bertambah dari waktu ke waktu. Januari 2012, jumlahnya naik hampir 20% dibanding periode yang sama tahun sebelumnya, sebuah loncatan statistik yang bukan main-main, mengingat kondisi perekonomian negara-negara maju yang sedang lesu. Tapi jumlah itu lebih besar dari wisman yang berkunjung ke India, atau ke Australia, wallahualam.

Sebenarnya di bidang pariwisata, pesaing paling utama Indonesia  di Asean adalah Thailand. Singapura, adalah hub paling penting  di Asia, dan tahun lalu Singapura dikunjungi oleh sekitar 12 juta wisatawan. Para visitor ke negara itu (menurut saya) masih didominasi oleh para pebisnis, karyawan, atau orang yang transit dan meluangkan waktu berkeliling Singapura, meski tentu saja ada juga yang sengaja datang untuk berwisata. Keuntungan menjadi hub bisnis dan transportasi udara seperti Singapura adalah bahwa seorang visitor bisa berkunjung ke Singapura lebih dari 1 x dalam periode tertentu, dan ini tentu menambah angka pengunjung secara total. Sementara Malaysia beruntung bertetangga sangat dekat dengan Singapura, pada tahun 2011 dari total  wisatawan asing yang datang ke Malaysia, 65%-nya* berasal dari wisatawan Singapura, dan tentu saja kebanyakan adalah mereka yang hobi berbelanja. Indonesia, sayangnya, bukanlah seperti keduanya.

Sementara Thailand, saya percaya wisatawan yang datang berkunjung ke negara indah tersebut adalah mereka yang benar ingin berlibur. Karakter kunjungan seperti itulah yang menjadi market Indonesia. Pada tahun 2011, jumlah wisman yang berkunjung ke Thailand mencapai sekitar 18-18.5 juta orang, jauh di atas Indonesia yang “hanya” 7 juta orang.

Ada beberapa sebab kenapa Thailand begitu “mudah” mendatangkan turis asing, diantaranya adalah :

1. Letak Thailand yang lebih dekat “kemana-mana”. Posisi Thailand yang lebih dekat (dibandingkan Indonesia) ke China, Jepang, Korea, Malaysia, Timur Tengah, dan Eropa tentu adalah satu elemen yang menguntungkan.

2. Pariwisata Thailand, bagaimanapun lebih terintegrasi dibandingkan dengan pariwisata di Indonesia. Sebenarnya bisa dimengerti, karena daratan Thailand adalah one single landmass, sementara Indonesia tercecer di ribuan pulau.

3. Kalau kita ambil contoh wisatawan dari Hongkong yang hendak berlibur ke pantai pasir putih yang sunyi dan romantis, dia akan berpikir…apakah akan ke Lombok, Ternate, Pulau Banda, atau ke Thailand? Pertama yang dia pikirkan tentu saja adalah harga tiket. Nah, ke Thailand tentu lebih murah karena satu kali jalan. Kalau ke Lombok, dia harus terbang ke Bali (atau Jakarta dulu), report di airport, dan meneruskan penerbangan ke Lombok, atau tempat-tempat lain.

4. Media di Thailand, kalau kita perhatikan, akan memberitakan berita-berita positif tentang negaranya, tentang potensi negaranya, tentang prestasi yang dicapai, dan berita-berita ini kemudian diquote oleh media internasional dan disebarkan. Meski ada berita negatif yang disiarkan, namun mereka mampu membawa balance. Bandingkan dengan Indonesia. Hidupkan TV dan lihatlah berita, berapa perimbangan berita negatif dibandingkan berita positifnya?

Bukan hal yang sederhana memang, memajukan pariwisata di Indonesia. Namun kita perlu menangkap peluang makin naiknya jumlah wisman yang datang ke negeri indah ini, dan ini perlu kerja bersama kita semua; misalnya :

1. Mungkin perlu segera direalisasikan pembangunan jembatan Singapura-Batam-Riau. Orang Singapura yang haus pedesaan, pegunungan, dan udara segar, akan bersemangat mengendarai mobil ke Riau.

2. Penerbangan murah perlu terus dikembangkan. Kawasan barat, tengah dan timur Indonesia banyak yang belum terjamah penerbangan murah. Kita terus melihat makin berkembangnya industri penerbangan di Indonesia sejak tahun-tahun belakangan ini, dan saat ini makin banyak yang bisa terkoneksi satu sama lain. Nah, sekarang perlu dipikirkan bagaimana menambah hub transportasi udara yang memadai dan modern di kawasan tersebut yang akan menjadi penghubung langsung ke kota2 di luar negeri. Kita sudah punya Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali dan Makassar. Medan menyusul. Balikpapan perlu, Lombok-Sumbawa juga perlu.

3. Saya mau menulis panjang lebar mengenai infrastruktur pariwisata. Tapi ini panjang sekali dan melelahkan, dan banyak tantangannya. Yang namanya infrastruktur, sebenarnya bukan hanya jalan, airport, jembatan, tapi juga meja imigrasi yang welcoming, taksi yang ramah, lingkungan yang asri, dan lain lain. Di lain kesempatan, akan kita bahas.

4. Yang ini lebih susah lagi, yakni bagaimana memajukan pariwisata kita, yang terintegrasi dengan cakupan pemberitaan di media nasional. Kalau yang ini bisa diperbaiki, insyaa Allah, akan sangat signifikan perkembangan pariwisata kita.

Kita memang tertinggal cukup jauh di dunia pariwisata, namun bukan berarti kita tidak bisa mengejar. Kita bisa, kita mampu, dan bahkan melewati tetangga-tetangga kita. Yang penting adalah, mau atau tidak?

The ibis Bandung Trans Studio has 606 contemporary guest rooms and it is located in the heart of Bandung, adjacent to the Bandung Supermal and Trans Studio, the largest indoor theme park in Asia.

“We are very confident in the market potential of ibis Bandung Trans Studio, which offers the most advanced level of comfort in the city’s economy segment,” Patrick Sibourg, the general manager of ibis Bandung Trans Studio said in a statement to The Jakarta Post.

He said that all 606 guest rooms conveyed a minimalist modern spirit, 32-inch LCD TV, Internet access and in-room safes.
The hotel also has 222 rooms with connecting doors for families.

“The hotel is sure to quickly become the place to stay for visitors seeking out great value accommodation in Bandung,” he added.

In addition, the 22-floor hotel features Oopen restaurant, which offers pasta and grill specialties in an open kitchen concept. It is open all day and serves all three meal periods.

With new direct flights from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, ibis Bandung Trans Studio is not only an ideal hotel for the Indonesian domestic market but also for regional travelers.

Accor is the largest hotel operator in Indonesia and has built up a hotel network of 46 hotels in 18 cities, which is still growing. (nfo)

taken from The Jakarta Post

Bali by the Numbers: Bali’s Strong Start to 2012 May be Unduly Influenced by Chinese Holidaymakers

January foreign tourist arrivals totaled 248,289 – an increase of 22.52% over the 202,660 tourist arrivals reported in the same month one year before.

Bolstering these strong results were result reported for Mainland China that jumped an astounding 222.64% equaling 55,178 visitors. Worthy of closer scrutiny, this total, if correct, may be a function of a sudden surge Chinese New Year holidaymakers.

Examining other markets that traditionally produce Chinese travelers over the extended Lunar New Year period also demonstrates strong improvement. Taiwanese visitors in January increased 20.2% at 11,680. Singapore visitors improved 10.27% at 7.601 and Malaysian tourist visitors improved 20.2%, achieving 11,680 in January 2012.

That the bold start to 2012 may be non-indicative of the year ahead is the general perception informally gathered in discussions with local hoteliers who report an unsettlingly quiet February.

In other markets, Australian arrivals improved 8.89% in January totaling 64,418. While a reasonable rate of growth by any standard, at 8.89% the Australian market growth appears to be leveling off after an extended period of steady double-digit growth.

Japan continues to be in the doldrums, declining a further 23.20% from the already depressed results ex-Japan for January 2011. January 2012 arrivals from Japan totaled 12,682.

Bright spots in the January tourist arrivals were the U.S.A. improving month-on-month by 23.08% (7,129); United Kingdom up 4.48% (6,433) and Germany up 10.74% (4,197).

February results, when published, will provide a clearer picture of how Bali’s inbound markets are likely to react over what may prove to be a precarious year ahead.

 Balidiscovery.com

Launched in 2011, agoda.com’s Fresh Destinations list aggregates traveler booking data and customer reviews and ratings to identify Asian cities that have showed a marked increase in popularity over a span of 12 months, writes Travel Impact Newswire

“Malang is a large East Java city with ancient Mataram and Dutch colonial heritage. Its cool climate, bougainvillea-dotted avenues and colorful landscapes have earned it comparisons to Europe, an image in dramatic contrast to the nearby volcanic mountain range of Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park. Picturesque and rich in history, Malang has colonial buildings, villages, golf, ancient temple ruins and Javanese relics. Malang is also a scenic stopover point for travelers on their way to ascend either Mount Semeru or Mount Bromo, conveniently positioned as it is between the two” says Agoda, as quoted by Travel Impact Newswire.

Malang and its adjacent town of Batu are popular with European and especially Dutch tourists nostalgic for the good old days, which can still be savoured here. Malang is wellknown for its juicy green apples, beautiful scenery on Mt. Arjuna, and, of course, culinary delights offering cuisine of a bygone era.

Malang is a good starting off point to a visit to Mt. Bromo, see the ancient temples of Singosari or spend a day relaxing on the beach.

Besides reachable by rail, Malang is served by a number of airlines from Jakarta and Bali.

Mentioned in Agoda’s 10 Fresh Asian Destinations list are: Naha, Japan; Palawan, in the Philippines; Pangkor Island/Pangkor Laut, Malaysia; Busan, South Korea ; Khanom, Thailand; Mui Ne, Vietnam.; Tagaytay, Philippines; Hualien, Taiwan, and  Malang, East Java, Indonesia. 

http://indonesia.travel/en/news/detail/648/malang-east-java-among-10-fresh-asian-destinations-in-2012-agoda

Langos, Portugal. Moorish culture and the Renaissance era influence in the Lagos area. This can be seen from the castle buildings and churches in this area. Lagos’s rich history.

In addition, Lagos is famous for its beautiful beaches and beach bars, both of these can attract foreign tourists. Moreover, regular bus access has been available, making it easier for tourists to get around Lagos.

Hua Hin, Thailand. Hua Hin is a beach resort town located less than 200 kilometers from the city of Bangkok. This sandy beach is clean and is ideal for snorkeling or just sunbathing.

Various attractions in this area is also enlivened by local residents. Activities such as fishing, golf, spa, and seafood restaurants. Places must be visited is the waterfall Pa La-u and Wat Huay Mongkol.

Tallinn, Estonia. Tallinn’s old town has an atmosphere that is a blend of the style of the medieval streets and towers. The city is actually a small town, so it is a safe area for tourists who want to explore on foot.

Should buy a Tallinn card for easy tram ride buses and trains. For a taste of Tallinn in the past, visit Rocca-al-Mare Open Air Museum with the feel of a typical rural community shops Estonia. Last visited windmills, cathedrals, or join the locals in the town square of historic.

Moscow, Russia. Moscow as a center of politics, science, history, architecture, and the Russian economy. The city displays a contrast condition than his past. Shades of ancient and modern side by side as in this city.

Take the metro (subway) from one of the ornate stations to Red Square, Kremlin, the nine-domed Cathedral of St. Basil, the tomb of Lenin, KGB Museum and other symbols of the past Moscow. After that you can visit the shop Boulevard Ring or enjoy the crowd in Pushkin Square.

Bucharest, Romania. Vlad the Impaler stated as the ruler of Bucharest in 1459. Dambovita citadel is the first of the palaces Vlad, some still standing. Four subway lines and a modern bus network facilitates tourist travel.

The city is nicknamed “Little Paris” because it displays an elegant French-style architecture. Do not miss the Village Museum (museum village), Romanian Athenaeum, and the Peasant Museum (museum farm). You also can not miss the Palace of Parliament, the second largest building in the world (after the Pentagon).

Innsbruck, Austria. Direbutkan city by various rulers throughout history. Innsbruck is where Emperor Maximilian I at the end of the 15th century reign. Trains trams make it easy for tourists to explore the city with a fast, efficient, and inexpensive.

Explore the history of the capital of Tyrol in the 10th century palace owned by Archduke Ferdinand II called Schloss Ambras. Or, visit the Tyrolean Folk Art Museum, 15th-century palace, and a roof of gold owned by Maximilian I’s famous.

Stockholm, Sweden. Stockholm is an attractive city. The Old Town, Gamla Stan, is a combination of narrow streets with a history of 750 years old.

While the island of Södermalm the center of fashion, entertainment, and youth culture. A garden, Djurgarden within walking distance of downtown. Originator of the Nobel Prize hometown offers tourists a visit to the Vasa Museum with a collection of 1628 warship to Skansen Open-Air Museum which contains a zoo, festivals and 150 historic buildings.

Cannes, France. Festive party, a sailboat race, until the film festival, Cannes is characteristic. Various views of the city meet the yacht. The city seemed to always live by the motto “Life is a festival”.

Cannes beach which was first popularized by Coco Chanel has also managed to attract the attention of visitors. Enjoy the sumptuous food on the beach or visit the beaches are open to the public as Plages du Midi.

Turin, Italy. For Turin, luxury cars and chocolate is a matter of pride. The city is home to the Museo Egizio, one of the places in the world that contains a collection of Egyptian artifacts. Wandering around Piazza Castello and along Via Roma that offer interesting views to share.

Valentino Park into the area for a 18th-century castle, botanic garden and medieval villages. When hungry, try eating pasta at trattoria (diner), local wine, and coffee.

San Sebastian-Donostia, Spain. San Sebastian is a city on the coast. Surfing is very popular in the city. La Concha bay offers a beautiful panorama, as well as two beautiful beaches, Ondarreta and Zurriola. Bersepedalah seafood restaurant or bar to the traditional “pintxos”. And see the view from Mount Igueldo. Then visit the Statue of Christ and see more stunning panorama.

Austin, Texas. More and more people are interested in moving to Austin. In recent decades, the capital of Texas has grown steadily, so that it attracts people ranging from young professionals from the city, to the artists and students.

The changes are very visible, from the busy city center into a trendy and expensive environment. However, Austin is able to maintain the mellow feel of a small town. Winner many times as the best place to live, is also a place worth visiting.

Therefore, the city offers many attractions and activities for tourists. Austin offers recreational activities ranging from golf to walking in a beautiful park. Then shopping, restaurants and nightlife is world class but present in the atmosphere of friendliness Texas-style home.

Antigua, Guatemala. Antigua is touted as the best colonial cities in Central America. Beautiful and friendly city is located in the central highlands of Guatemala. The city is famous for its Spanish architecture building in the 16th century and cobbled streets.

Antigua is located beneath the volcano Agua, Fuego and Acatenango. You can climb the mountain to see the sights of the city. Walking or taking public transportation between San Agustin, the Municipal Palace, the cathedral or a city park.

Seminyak, Indonesia. Located in the south of Bali, Seminyak is one of the best beaches in Bali. Make sure you catch the legendary tenggalam sun on this beach. And enjoy a soothing landscape.

Then, see the Balinese traditional ceremonies on the beach. Complete with gamelan music performances and offerings to the gods.

Cape Town, South Africa. There are many things you can do and see in the city of Cape Town. Ranging from beautiful beaches, beautiful scenery, amazing architecture and a bustling night life.

Nature lovers can climb the steep path of Table Mountain. While for the less adventurous, there is Table Mountain Cableway. Beach preferred by locals and tourists. There is also a Cape Dutch as Dutch heritage buildings worth visiting.

Queenstown, New Zealand. Beauty that can make your heart beat waiting in Queenstown. Mountain resort on Lake Wakatipu began life as a gold mining town in the 1860?s era.

But now, this place attracts the attention of nature lovers to perform activities of kayaking, bungee jumping, hiking, and skiing. For a milder adventure, you can go sailing calmly through Milford Sound, part of the Fjordland National Park which is a world heritage. Or, sample wine Pinot Noir, one of 75 area wineries in this place.

http://portland-news-daily.com

My first trip through Ambon city was in the aftermath of the sectarian violence that had engulfed the island from 1999 to 2002.

In those days, it was not a place in which to loiter for long: the scars of violence were still all too apparent on the 25 km drive from the airport to the city on the opposite side of the bay, with numerous places of worship reduced to burnt-out hulks and the provincial university a blackened ruin.

Back then, I had just been passing through, on my way to the Spice Islands of Banda. But this time I was back to visit Ambon Island itself, comprising as it does of two “halves” – Leihitu to the north and Leitimur to the south.

While Ambon may not have become a tourist Mecca, it’s a beautiful corner of Maluku, with a lazy, laid-back tropical feel to it.

Ambon’s history is both long and turbulent, closely linked for several centuries to the spice trade. Prior to the 16th century, Ambon was largely controlled by the powerful sultans of Ternate from further north.

The European powers first arrived in the early 16th century in the form of the proselytizing Portuguese. While the Portuguese managed to break the control of the sultans, they found the locals on the north of the island unreceptive to Christianity and decided to establish their main base further south, the site of today’s Ambon.

In turn, the Portuguese were displaced by the Dutch, intent on capturing the lucrative spice trade. The Dutch also took over the Portuguese fortress in Ambon, renaming it Fort Victoria in 1599 and making it their main regional base.

The Dutch were to dominate the Ambon Island for the next three and a half centuries until the World War II, when it became the headquarters of the invading Japanese forces in the region.

Consequently, the city attracted heavy bombing from the Americans during the final stages of the war, sadly destroying much of Ambon’s attractive colonial architecture.

The only previous interruption to Dutch control was a small rebellion in 1817, when an uprising led by one Thomas Matulessy overran Fort Duurstede on Saparua, one of the Lease islands to the east.

After killing all the fort’s Dutch defenders, sparing only a six-year old Dutch boy, the uprising was violently suppressed and all its participants executed. However, Matulessy’s act of saving the life of the boy led him to being named “Pattimura” by the locals, which means “kind-hearted” in the local language. He subsequently went on to become a revered symbol of anti-colonial resistance.

Despite ridding itself of the Dutch and the Japanese in the 1940s, Ambon then became the focus of a rebellion against the newly independent Indonesia under Sukarno in the 1950s, eventually put down by the Indonesian army.

Sectarian violence flared again in the late 1990s as a spillover from the collapse of the Soeharto regime in 1998, and the political instability, together with the rivalry between the army and the police, that the New Order’s downfall created.

Notwithstanding a recent but thankfully short-lived reappearance of sectarian violence earlier this year, Ambon has made a remarkable recovery since civil conflict abated in 2002.

This turnaround was celebrated with the unveiling of a World Peace Gong by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2009 in the city center of Ambon. Only a few years earlier, the very same site had been less then 200 meters from the frontlines dividing the city’s warring sectarian factions.

Ambon itself lies in a beautiful setting, between the narrow bay called Ambon Bay and the hills leading up to Mount Sirimu. Ambon has a lush and lazy tropical feel, with undulating hills and idyllic views across the bay.

The city’s main landmark is Fort Victoria, which today is occupied by the Indonesian army and closed to the public. However, if you approach the fort from the seaward side, you will see some of the original walls and the old Dutch main gate.

Across the road on the southern side of a sports field overlooked by the modern governor’s office is a gesticulating statue of Pattimura, waving his sword in the vague direction of the governor’s office.

One of the best spots in Ambon to enjoy a cold beer, some snacks and the view across the city and the bay beyond is the Panorama Café, located high on a hill in the northeast suburbs. If you’re lucky with the weather, you can also see stunning sunsets from its vantage point.

Of course, the Ambonese love their food, and so I made an effort to try some of the local delicacies.

In my pursuit of the local specialty called papeda – strange sago-based goo that looks just like wallpaper glue – I discovered an excellent restaurant called Sari Gurih in Jl. Dana Kopra, just around the corner from the Mutiara Hotel where I was staying.

At Sari Gurih, the staff treated me a traditional Ambonese papeda meal with fish cooked in yellow sauce (ikan kuah kuning), and most importantly, showed me how to serve the papeda with special two-pronged chopsticks.

There is quite an art to serve papeda, as it quickly slides off the chopsticks unless you move fast and know what you’re doing (and which plate you’re aiming for). Despite its glue-like appearance, papeda is a very tasty dish when mixed with the fish – just don’t make the mistake of eating just the goo on its own. One peaceful spot in which to escape the bustle of the city is the pristinely maintained Commonwealth War Cemetery on the road to Passo.

Although the cemetery contains the graves of servicemen of British, Indian and other allied extractions, the majority of the more than 2,000 graves are of Australian servicemen who perished in Japanese prisoner-of-war camps.

The bonds created between the Australians and the Ambonese during this difficult time live on today in the annual Sail Banda yacht race from Darwin to Ambon.

Another place of interest is the village of Soya Atas halfway up Mount Sirimau. Soya Atas Church was totally destroyed in 2002, but has now been restored. Just across the road is a dilapidated monument to St. Francis Xavier, who came to Ambon as the first with Jesuit missionary in 1546.

The rest of the smaller southern half of Ambon Island, Leitimur, is best visited on a motorbike. Some of Ambon’s most attractive coastline is to be found on the southern side of Leitimur. For instance, Namalatu has a nice beach, while lying further east through coconut groves is a cliff-side outlook called Pintu Kota that offers impressive views of the coast and the deep blue sea below.

In order to explore Leihitu, the northern half of Ambon Island, you’ll need to rent a car for the day. Northern Leihitu has quite a different flavor from the south, being far less prosperous and relying as it does on small-scale fishing.

The road passes through the old stronghold of the Ternate sultans in Hitu Lama, now the port for the morning speedboats to Seram. Heading west along increasingly rough roads and poorer fishing villages, you arrive at the village of Hila, famous for its Dutch fortress, Benteng Amsterdam. Built in 1649, the fort has now been renovated, complete with a distinctly non-17th century red roof.

A little further on from the fort is Immanuel Church, an old church destroyed in the sectarian violence which has since been rebuilt, albeit with no congregation. Another five-minutes’ walk brings you to the curious thatched mosque of Wapaue.

Originally built in 1414 on the slopes of nearby Mount Wawane, the mosque was moved to its new location in 1664, supposedly with a little supernatural help.

Leihitu’s eastern coast is where car ferries serve the Lease islands and Seram. The main road heads out along the second of Ambon Island’s major bays, Baguala, through the resort of Natsepa.

After the port of Tulehu is the village of Waai – not to be missed if you are someone fascinated by eels (belut). The eels live in a freshwater carp pool, which the locals also use for washing clothes, and are supposedly sign of good luck if you see one.

(Taken from The Jakarta Post)

After almost 10 years since the first bombing, Bali has been improving their security as well as infrastructure, especially for tourism. The island’s success in hosting the ASEAN Summit in November and the ongoing improvements in local infrastructure, including the expansion of Ngurah Rai Airport, are expected to play a crucial role in boosting tourism, which for decades has been the island’s economic backbone.

“In 2011, the dynamics of the local economic were quite good and tourism, the biggest contributor to the island’s economy, booked solid performance with the number of foreign visitors growing 10.57 percent. This favorable condition will continue in 2012,”  said Head of the Denpasar office of Bank Indonesia, Jeffry Kairupan.

Besides bombing, Bali also has another obstacle in their economic growth. The value and volume of the island’s exports dropped by 4.24 percent in 2011 mostly due to the contraction of the global economy. Industry and trade data from the province showed that the total value of last year’s exports was US$497.8 million, a 4.24 percent decrease from $519.9 million in the previous year.

But, in the bright side the reduction in the island’s exports could be compensated for by developing new markets in the Middle East. Europe, Japan and the United States are traditional markets for the island’s export commodities. When the economic crisis hit these traditional markets, the volume and value of the island’s exports dropped significantly. In 2011, exports generated more than US$497 million, a 4.24 percent decrease from the value recorded in 2010.

Bali is still one of world’s most famous holiday destination. This can be seen from the number of foreign visitors in Bali which has grown up to 10.57 percent in 2011. And also, despite the financial crisis gripping their nation since 2008, American visitors still take long-haul flights to vacation on Bali. In 2011, the number of American visitors reached 90,154, a 24.96 percent increase from the number recorded in the previous year.

Source:

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/02/15/bali-predicted-experience-positive-growth.html

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/02/03/bali-s-exports-drop-due-global-crisis.html

The Javanese prejudice against Madura has knocked the island off the list of destinations for most domestic tourists, who in turn discourage foreigners from visiting. But as is the case with most stereotypes, not everything people say about Madura is true.

Located just northeast of Surabaya in East Java, Madura is easily accessible by boat across the Madura Strait. Since 2009, it has also been accessible by road, thanks to the Suramadu Bridge connecting the island to mainland Java.

But local accounts differ as to how long it actually takes to get across to the next big town. I checked four car rental places in Surabaya, and each gave different estimated travel times, ranging from six to 12 hours for the trip between Surabaya and Sumenep, in Madura’s east. One operator explained that the trip takes 12 hours whenever the cattle market is open because of the resulting kilometers of congested traffic.

The island is divided into four regencies: Bangkalan in the west, Sampang and Pamekasan in the middle and Sumenep in the east, and the island itself is under the administration of East Java.

Crossing Suramadu Bridge at full speed, I found that it only took only 20 minutes to reach Madura. With a crossing fee of Rp 30,000 ($3.40), the bridge has separate lanes for motorcycles (which are often loaded with big sacks) and four-wheel vehicles. Another option is to take the public ferry from Tanjung Perak harbor in Surabaya to Kamal harbor in Bangkalan, which takes about 40 minutes.

During the first two-hour trip through Bangkalan regency, I saw nothing but abandoned, unfertile-looking terrain, and understood why many Bangkalan residents choose to search for jobs off the island. We passed two cattle markets in different locations, which took up half of the main road with parked motorcycles and pick-up trucks, leaving the commuting buses and cars stuck in traffic.

Cows, goats and lambs are sold in this kind of crowded cattle market. Cows are important in Madura, which is known for its popular cow-racing festival. The goats in the market were very young, some as young as 4 months old. The driver told me that a popular local dish is sate kambing muda (young goat satay).

Looking at the young and tender goats, I was excited to taste it for myself.

Entering the crowded market, I had the peculiar sensation of being a foreigner in my own country. The people there were speaking in their strong, local dialect, and I didn’t hear any Indonesian words nor understand a thing that was said. The men were dressed in traditional sarongs and conducted their business solely in cash.

Continuing on the southern route, we passed several decent-looking kampungs (dense neighborhoods), and some very nice, big houses (the bigger concrete abodes were coated in brightly colored advertisements for mobile phone providers).

The first big town we passed was Sampang, the main street of which was lined with government offices, schools and public facilities. But beyond the main street was nothing but kampungs and open terrain. Looking at the dry soil, I had a flashback to geography lessons at school, where we were taught that the staple in Madura is not rice but corn, because is it more suited to the soil.

The dry terrain did eventually open up to a clear view of the sea, and the turquoise water of the Camplong Beach was very enticing. It is a popular recreation spot for locals, but also an area known for sand fields and salt production. Since colonial times, Madura has been an important salt-producing region, known in Java as the Island of Salt.

When we arrived in Pamekasan, I was surprised to find the main road bustling with commercial activity. Contrary to the stereotypes, it was also a very clean city, with a well-maintained Catholic church facing a grand mosque just across the street — apparently coexisting in peace, despite the island’s chaotic reputation.

From there I proceeded to Sumenep, an area known for its tobacco production. I also saw several assembling factories as we drove through, giving me the impression that the area is quite economically well-developed.

Entering the main town (after a three-hour drive), I found Sumenep itself to be clean, cultured and affordable. I made the obligatory visit to the Grand Sumenep Mosque, the town’s best-known attraction.

The structure, built in 1779, showed a fascinating combination of Chinese, Javanese, Indian, Portuguese and Arab influences in its architecture. The interior of the mosque likewise displayed the influence of those cultures in the ceiling, wooden windows, pillars and mihrab. But the most beautiful part of the mosque is its concrete gate, which has a European touch.

A few hundred meters to the east of the mosque is Kraton Sumenep, the sultan’s palace and the only one of its kind in East Java. The palace is said to have been established in 1269, when its authority covered all of Madura, as well as the many islands scattered around it. The head of the kadipaten, or sultanate, was known as the adipati.

Unlike Yogyakarta’s kraton in Central Java, the kraton complex in Madura is no longer occupied by traditional families serving the adipati (the last sultan ruled in 1929). The complex surrounding the palace was built in 1762 by Adipati Sumenep Tumenggung Ario Notokusumo, or Panembahan Somala (1762-1811).

He enlisted the famous Chinese architect Law Piyango to design both the kraton and the Grand Mosque on the 12 hectares of his property (Law Piyango’s family escaped from Semarang, Central Java, because of the bloody unrest there).

In front of the kraton there is a pendopo, or open-air pavilion, which is now used for government events. For Rp 2,000 (22 cents), visitors can tour the kraton museum, which previously served as the adipati’s office.

The museum holds artifacts like utensils used by the royal family, royal robes and heirloom weapons. One piece of particular interest is a handwritten Koran penned by Sultan Abdul Rahman (1811-1854).

Like in any kraton in Java, a big banyan tree can be found growing in the courtyard. There is also a taman sare, a pool used for bathing by the princesses. Locals still believe in the spiritual power of the pool, and bathe there in hopes of receiving blessings.

Across from the kraton complex is a building now used to keep the royal thrones and carriages, one of them a gift from the United Kingdom. Pictures of the various adipatis of Sumenep are also displayed, but the presentation is poor.

My trip to Sumenep changed my view of Madurese people. What I experienced was totally different to what I had previously imagined; the people were not unfriendly and the towns were not dirty.

Erfandi, a guide at the Sumenep Kraton Museum, put my impression into words: “I know that people are reluctant to visit Madura because they think it is dirty and the people are rude and foul,” he said.

“But as you see, Sumenep is a fine destination with many attractions. And, most importantly, it is very cheap.”

taken from The Jakarta Globe

“We’ve scoped out the scene in nine way-exotic places around the world newlyweds should consider heading after their nuptials if they want some serious honeymoon bragging rights. From the Subcontinent to North Africa, these destinations combine romance with incredible natural beauty” wrote the huffingtonpost.com.

The first of the nine in the slideshow, Bali was represented by a photograph of green rice fields fringed with coconut trees, aptly illustrating the serenity in the heart of Bali. Next to Bali, other locations that made it to the list are: Thailand, Vietnam, India, South Africa, Morocco, Fiji, French Polynesia, and the Maldives.

Bali has long been known as a favorite destination for honeymooners worldwide. From the romantic sunsets at Tanah Lot, the intimacy and serenity of villages and rice fields in Ubud, exclusive and secluded luxury resorts and hotels overlooking picturesque coves, up to the vibrant and upbeat night life around Kuta Beach, the fascinating island has everything that every newlywed dreams of. Many couples from around the globe even staged their wedding in Bali for a total unforgettable lifetime experience.

The article recommended Three Must Sees spots in Bali, these are : the boho town of Ubud, where backpackers and yoginis tour temples, watch dancers, and browse boutiques stuffed with kites and carvings, coastal areas and the Alila Manggis resort where the beaches are not super-touristy, and Kuta and the Legian Beach Hotels in the heart of Bali’s bumpin’ nightlife.
As the month of February commences and Valentine’s Day nears when love is in the air and celebrated, the romantic island of Bali will surely be filled with lovebirds from around the world.

Source: indonesia.travel, www.huffingtonpost.com

According to Suryamin, in 2011, the Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali recorded the highest number of arrivals at 2.78 million, becoming Indonesia’s main tourist entry port, followed by the Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta that received 1.93 million arrivals.

According to the Passenger Exit Survey from the Ministry for Tourism and the Creative Economy, average expenditure per person per day for 2011 was US$ 142.69, up 5.69% compared to the previous year at US$ 135.01.But average length of stay decreased 2.49% from 8.04 days to 7.84 days.

For 2012, Indonesia remains optimistic to reach 8 million visitor arrivals, despite the expected downturn in tourists from Europe, which is one of the country’s main source markets. Marketing efforts will be more strongly directed to the ASEAN countries, East Asia, Russia, Australia and the Middle East.

Source:antaranews.com

The name comes from the century-old British tradition of “mountain bagging” (gunung is the Indonesian word for mountain), whereby hikers challenge one another to conquer a checklist of peaks categorized by topographic prominence. It is called “bagging” because each peak conquered is another one “in the bag” for the hiker.

The tradition started with Sir Hugh Munro’s 1891 list of 915-meter plus peaks in the British Isles, known as the “Munros,” and spread to the creation of a list of worldwide “Ultras,” mountains with a minimum 1,500-meter elevation drop on all sides.

Indonesia doesn’t have too many Ultras, but there are plenty of peaks worth bagging in the mountainous archipelago. That’s why Quinn, 30, an English teacher working in Jakarta, and Dean, 34, a geographic information systems specialist working in Bogor, decided to establish the Gunung Bagging Web site — to bring the British hiking tradition to Indonesia, and the hiking possibilities of Indonesia to the world.

The bagging list for Indonesia centers on the “Ribus” — peaks of at least one “ribu” (thousand) meters in topographic prominence — and was compiled by Quinn and Dean after they met on a hike up Gunung Lawu in East Java. On the Web site, Gunung Lawu falls into the category of “Sangat Tinggi” (“Very High”), at a height of over 3,000 meters, but the accompanying information describes it as “a great hike for those new to hiking in Indonesia.”

So how hard can the Ribus be? “They can be quite tough,” Quinn says. “Like following some local guys hacking your way through, and there’s no trail, and you’re falling all over the place.” Not to mention the slight problems of muddy tracks, no promise of a view at the top, and some very nasty strains of local stinging nettle. But the greatest challenge of all, Quinn says, is finding information on the peaks in the first place.

“Indonesia really should be the No. 1 hiking destination in Southeast Asia,” he says. “It really is tremendous, but the infrastructure is not really there, and they don’t seem to be very good at promoting themselves, either.”

While other world-class hiking destinations provide maps, experienced guides, campsites and toilet facilities, Indonesia’s hiking sites are notoriously inaccessible and overgrown, or poorly maintained and full of litter.

Existing groups in Indonesia, such as the highly popular Java Lava (javalavaindonesia.multiply.com) volcano-climbing group and other local hiking communities, do provide fairly comprehensive information on the most popular peaks in the archipelago. But for hikers who want to explore further, the trail of information soon runs out.

Outside of the usual tourist trails, information on Indonesia’s lesser-known peaks is almost impossible to find, and the intrepid hikers who attempt them have only local guides to rely on, some of whom have never even walked the trails themselves.

That’s where Quinn and Dean come in, going where no hiker has ever gone before and bringing back information for others hoping to explore Indonesian mountains off the beaten track.

The Gunung Bagging Web site contains a list of Indonesia’s 226 Ribus, including a list of 50 Ribus under the category “Belum Bagged” (“Not Yet Bagged”).

For the mountains that have been bagged, Quinn and Dean provide GPS tracks, contact details for reliable local guides and trekking advice to consider before attempting some of the more dangerous peaks.

Aside from the Ribus, the pair also provide information on a list of interesting hikes that don’t fall under the Ribu category, which they call the “Spesials.” These include peaks of geographical or historical interest, or those that only just fall short of Ribu status.

Dean himself has conquered 27 Ribus, 25 of those with his wife Gill. He says the spirit of adventure and the reward of spectacular views is what drives him to break new ground in Indonesia’s mountain ranges.

“For anyone who likes hiking and adventure travel, Indonesia is hard to beat,” he says. “Some of the things that make travel and hiking frustrating in Indonesia also make the travel so interesting.”

Dean was hooked on hiking in Indonesia after he and his wife enjoyed a stunning view from the summit of Gunung Rinjani in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, during a full moon. But he says that one of his most memorable hikes in Indonesia was up Gunung Tambora on the neighboring island of Sumbawa.

“The hike had everything: Porters who had never hiked the mountain and couldn’t carry our bags, perfect weather, camping on the crater rim, almost getting blown off the rim by the wind and a volcanic sandstorm in the night, views of Rinjani on Lombok,” he recalls fondly.

As for Quinn, he’ll always remember taking a weekend hiking trip to Ambon in Maluku. Working full-time in Jakarta, Quinn had limited time to add Ribus to his list. Determined to reach Ambon’s highest point over the course of a weekend, he took a 1 a.m. flight from Jakarta on a Saturday, met up with a local guide to climb the highest mountain at 10 p.m. that night, and was back in Jakarta by 6 p.m. on Sunday night.

“So, stupid things can be done, it just depends how stupid you are, I suppose,” he says with a laugh.

Quinn says he has tried to contact national tourism authorities in Jakarta many times about the Web site, but has never received more than recognition of receipt for his e-mails.

For those wishing to follow in the footsteps of the Gunung Bagging trailblazers, all the information is there on the Web site. Like-minded enthusiasts are also encouraged to contribute their own entries, and many have provided detailed accounts of their hiking escapades.

A handful of contributors have even made it onto the Web site’s “Hall of Fame,” also titled “Gunung Bragging,” but Quinn still tops the list, followed by Andy and Gill Dean.

Quinn says that for him, the driving factor is still the urge to provide useful information on new frontiers.

“Once I put up information on something, it’s great. Especially when there is really no information on the Internet about it,” he says. “Then I think I’m really doing something new here.”

For more information, visit www.gunungbagging.com

The operator, owned by Dubai’s ruler, will open its second Asian hotel, Jumeirah Bali, in 2015, the group said on Tuesday. The property spans 80 hotel suites and 25 private villas, the company said in an emailed statement.

The luxury hotelier in October said it planned to double its properties under management globally by early 2012. The firm, which recently opened brand-managed hotels in Frankfurt, the Maldives and Shanghai, said it planned to expand into Kuwait, Majorca and Azerbaijan.

“We will open in Kuwait, Majorca, and Azerbaijan. We will almost double the number of hotels under management for Jumeirah in a 14-month period,” Lawless told Reuters.

“We have a few other potential projects ‘bubbling’… Some of them are in Europe,” he said, adding that the group would count 20 hotels by the end of the first quarter.

The group, which competes with the likes Mandarin Oriental and the Four Seasons, currently has one hotel in Asia, the Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel in Shanghai, and has a further five hotels under development in China.

The hotel chain is not currently planning an initial public offering (IPO) or a bond issue, Lawless said last year.

“We are very happy with our levels of financing and debt at the moment,” he said. “The funding positions are not difficult for us, we are in a strong position where we have investors who own the hotels, they build the hotels and we brand them.”

“We are asset-light … We have been very encouraged by the success of the acquisition of management contracts and it continues to grow,” he added.

 http://www.arabianbusiness.com/jumeirah-group-eyes-slice-of-bali-luxury-tourism-market-441138.html

Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Mari Pangestu presented the award to representatives of the hotels here on Wednesday.

The 10 hotels are Matahari Beach Resort & Spa (Bali), Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel (Bali), Holiday Inn Resort (Batam), Angsana (Bintan), Melia Benoa (Bali), Losari Spa Retreat & Coffee Plantation (Magelang), The St Regis Bali Resort(Bali), Melia Bali Villa & Spa Resort, The Dharmawangsa Jakarta, Hotel Gran Melia Jakarta.

Mari said the Green Award 2012 was the third of its kind since 2008. The first such award was given to ASEAN hotels in Thailand in 2008 and the second in Brunei Darussalam in 2010.

Environmentally friendly principle is the main aspect to see if a hotel deserves to receive the award according to the document of ASEAN Green Hotel Standard agreed upon by 10 ASEAN member countries.

The document covers a number of criteria and prerequisites as environmental policies which lay a basis for the environmentally friendly operation of hotels, including the use of green products, cooperation with local people and organizations, and human resources development.

Besides solid waste management, energy efficiency, water efficiency, air quality management (indoor and outdoor), noise pollution control, waste water treatment and management, toxic and chemical substance disposal management.

Tight competition in the hotel industry has encouraged the adoption of the Green Hotel Standard. The award is designed to promote hotel operators’ environmental awareness amid the looming threat of global warming, increase the competitive edge of the hotel industry in attracting more guests and improving the quality of ASEAN hotels’ services to support ASEAN as a single tourism destination.

The award was also given to a number of other ASEAN member countries which respectively nominated 10 hotels for the award.  (S012)

Editor: Ade Marboen