Still Japanese Tourist Interest in Yogyakarta

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Association of Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants (PHRI) sure Yogyakarta and its surroundings are still attractive for foreign tourists from Japan after the earthquake and tsunami in the country. "Until now no significant decline in Japanese tourists who travel to Yogyakarta," said Chairman of PHRI DIY, Istidjab, in Jakarta, Sunday (04/03/2011).

Istidjab noted Japanese tourists up to the first quarter of this year was still perched in third position as the country's largest contributor of tourists to Yogyakarta after the Netherlands and Malaysia. Central Statistics Agency (BPS) to record up to March 2011 the number of tourists to Yogyakarta for Dutch tourists 25 745 people, then Malaysia 16,150, and 13,835 Japanese tourists.

While in Germany the next order of 8352, America 6350, Singapore 6770, Australia 4.9821, and Thailand 4847 people. "There are even adding a few series a group of Japanese tourists who went on a tour package from Bali to Yogyakarta using a direct flight," he said.

Most Japanese tourists, said Istidjab, interested in covering travel to a number of Prambanan and Borobudur temples as well as to a number of museums in Yogyakarta. It even found indications of an increased number of Japanese tourists in recent times. "The improvement is probably due to concerns over the effects of nuclear radiation (in NPP Fukushima, Japan) so they choose to come out of Japan," he said.

The fact that one indication of the still high level of hotel room occupancy in 17 star hotels 3, 4, and 5 are in the January-March 2011 in the range of 55 percent. Whereas Yogyakarta is still in post-disaster recovery phase of the eruption of Merapi and still face the threat of cold lava flood.