Tourism Indonesia

Bejing and Bandung to promote cooperation in tourism

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:21:00 PDT

The city administrations of Bandung and Beijing have agreed to expand cooperation between the two cities in tourism promotion .

The agreement was marked with the signing of a memorandum of understanding here on Monday night.

Dience Herlina Permana, the secretary of the Bandung city tourism and culture service , said more Chinese tourists have visited Indonesia from year to year.

The increase in the number of Chinese visitors to Indonesia has been in line with the rapid expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries, Dience.

However, the Chinese visitors are still far smaller in number compared with those from Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and Australia, she said.

The cooperation, therefore, is expected to result in an increase in the number of Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia including Bandung and vice versa, Dience said.

Nicolas Lumanau, chairman of the Bandung Promotion Agency said the two countries have long histories and the cultures of the two countries have strong influence on each other.

Nicolas said most Chinese may not forget that Bandung was the city where the historic Asia Africa Conference was held in 1955 attended by then Prime Minister Zhou En Lai together with other leaders of the emerging Asia and African countries.

Until now the building that housed the conference is still well preserved, he said.

Many reasons why tourism cooperation needs to be expanded between the two countries, he said citing the cultural varieties that influenced each other.

Deputy chairman of Beijing Promotion Agency Yu Depin said Beijing has become the world`s tourist destination for 3,000 years although it was only 860 years as Chinese capital city.

Yu Depin predicted in the next five years there would be 400 million Chinese tourists visiting foreign countries opening the possibility for Indonesia including Bandung to take advantage of the opportunity.

Beijing and Bandung have different characteristics both with varying cultures, therefore, the two cities would have more to give and take from cooperation, he said.

The five year cooperation agreement in tourism promotion and marketing could be extended depending on the two cities, he said.

The two cities also agreed to jointly undertake tourism research and exchange of information (Antara)

Jakarta Fashion & Food Festival: Top 5 dishes

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:00:01 PDT

The Jakarta Fashion & Food Festival (JFFF), held in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, could overwhelm even the most dedicated gastronomes.

The festival, held until May 26, offers a myriad of Indonesian dishes at the outdoor venue called Kampoeng Tempo Doeloe in Sentra Kelapa Gading.

Choices, choices. But perhaps our recommendations can make your task a bit easier:

Tahu Gunting Surabaya: A signature dish of Surabaya in East Java, tahu gunting (scissors-cut tofu) is unique not only for its flavor but also in its preparation. As its name suggests, the cook uses scissors instead of a knife to slice the dish’s ingredients, which includes tofu, boiled potatoes and lontong(rice cake).

This cutting process is usually quite impressive due to its fast pace.

This sweet-and-savory dish is topped off with boiled bean sprouts, spring onions, crackers and fried shallots.

Ask for spicy peanut sauce if you want a kick to it.

Price: Rp 15,000 (US$1.54)

Bihun Bebek Medan Suki:This popular dish from Medan, North Sumatra, is said to contain medicinal herbs.

Bihun bebek consists of clear, savory broth, delicate thin rice noodles and slices of duck meat.

Fresh lettuce, coriander leaves and spring onions are sprinkled atop the dish.

Price Rp 33,000

Mie Kangkung Oma Evie: Kangkung, often translated as water spinach, is quite prominent in many Asian dishes.

This time, it makes for a warm, comforting bowl of noodle soup. Mie Kangkung Oma Evie features blanched kangkungand egg noodle. It is served with shredded chicken, prawns and squid.

It is a nice combination of sweet and spicy with its rather thick broth.

Price: Rp 25,000

Rujak Kolam Medan:There are many versions of rujak (fruit salad) in Indonesia. This one originates from Medan, North Sumatra. 

There are at least two things that make Rujak Kolam Medan a must-try dish.

First, a portion of it contains various fruit such as mango,bengkuang (jicama), papaya, pineapple, rose apple, cucumber and guava as well as Balinese orange and red-orange sweet potato. Vitamins galore!

Second, its sauce is a mix of fried peanut, palm sugar, terasi Medan (fermented shrimp paste), tamarind, pisang batu (small stony plantains with seeds discarded) and chili, which gives it a sensationally sweet, sour, spicy and crunchy taste when combined with fresh fruit.

If you opt for spicy sauce, make sure you have something to drink because it is likely that you're going to need it badly.

Starting price: Rp 22,000

Es Campur Sinar Garut: A swarm of people flock to this stand that sells this refreshing best-selling dessert, which is perfect on a hot day.

Es campur is basically shredded ice mixed with young coconut, avocado, cincau (grass jelly), sweet tape (fermented steamed cassava) and kolang-kaling (sugar palm fruit).

The dish is made even sweeter with bright red syrup and sweet condensed milk poured on top.

Price: Rp 14,000
(Source: Jakarta Post)

A Bumper-to-Bumper Crop of Tourists

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:57:27 PDT

Government Survey of Tourists in Bali Show’s Widespread Dissatisfaction with Traffic Conditions
A survey carried out by Bali’s Provincial Tourism Authority in 2012 identified traffic congestion as a major complaint made by international holidaymakers coming to the Island.

As reported by Bali Daily (The Jakarta Post), survey respondents urged urgent action be taken to address widespread traffic problems in Bali.
According to the head of the Bali Tourism Authority (Kadisparda), Ida Bagus Subhisku, the survey sought feedback from 1,000 respondents on matters ranging from traffic, customs, accommodation, restaurants, transportation, taxis and cleanliness.

A worrying 57% of those responding provided negative reviews of traffic conditions. Survey participants were approached at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport during the departure process at the end of a holiday spent on Bali. Subhisku characterized the negative feedback on traffic as “understandable” – especially those traveling in South Bali where the airport is located.

The Tourism chief was quick to point out that traffic perceptions were no doubt influenced by the massive infrastructure projects underway that, when completed, will help alleviate much of the problem.

Bali is in the finishing phases of a major expansion of the airport, the construction of a underpass at the Simpang Siur intersection in Kuta and the Benoa-Ngurah Rai-Nusa Dua toll way. And, while the infrastructure improvements will do much to help ease Bali’s traffic congestion, they should not be seen as a panacea to the Island’s traffic woes. Serious traffic congestion will persist in the capital city of Denpasar and central Kuta, while horrific and frequent accidents along the Denpasar-Gilimanuk highway will also continue to occur.

Badung Regent AA Gde Agung blamed traffic problems on illegal parking and asked local businesses in Kuta not to park on sidewalks. Yet, street side parking persists despite the availability of off-street parking. Agung is promising to create no-parking areas in Kuta.

© Bali Discovery Tours. Articles may be quoted and reproduced if attributed to http://www.balidiscovery.com.

Keeping Promises Made to Bali

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Thu, 16 May 2013 01:29:03 PDT

With Bali's New Benoa-Ngurah Rai-Nusa Dua Toll Way Nearing Completion, It's Time to Keep Promises to Restore Bottom Lands and Protect Mangrove Areas

The President of Indonesia is scheduled to come to Bali in mid-June to formally inaugurate two important new infrastructure projects. President Yudhoyono will preside over the opening of the new Simpang Siur Underpass Interchange in Kuta and the opening of a magnificent new toll way suspended over coastal waters connecting Sanur to the Southern tip of the Island.

Both projects are being completed in record time and are certain to help reduce traffic congestion in Bali and improve the daily experience of both Island visitors and residents. With the inauguration of the two projects there now exists a hope that bottlenecks at the Simpang Siur intersection will become a thing of the past and the one-hour or more drive from Sanur to Nusa Dua will be reduced to only 10-15 minutes.

Amidst these bright prospects of less traffic congestion, we’d like to pause briefly and remind PT Jasa Marga – the company building and supervising the new toll road, of a critical promise they made to the people of Bali.

The original environmental impact study undertaken before the toll way project commenced openly acknowledged the importance of protecting the large mangrove forest area that skirts the shore line under and surrounding the elevated road way. Accordingly, pledges were made to take extraordinary measure and use floating pontoons to install “minimally invasive” pylons that will raise the roadway above the mangrove, allowing the natural ebb and flow of tides, wild life and sea life to go on unimpeded.

Engineering miscalculations, however, underestimated the difficulty of keeping the promise to use floating pontoons, causing the project to resort to using landfill to construct access roads under the path of the roadway.

This change in construction method prompted Friends of the Earth-Bali (WALHI) to scream “foul” – claiming the road project’s failure to stick with the original construction plan was causing massive, possibly irrevocable, damage to an eco-system that plays a central role in the propagation of sea life and in protecting Bali from tidal surges.

When the temporary access roadways were built, WAHLI sent letters of protest to the project managers and Bali’s governor, asking the project be halted until protections could be put in place that would ensure the protection and sustainability of the nearby mangrove forest.

PT Jasa Marga responded to the protests issuing public assurances that all the temporary roads used in the construction of the highway would be completely removed and the natural state of the mangrove restored.

We take this opportunity to remind PT Jasa Marga of the promises they made and the need to spare no expense in protecting mangrove and Bali’s environment.

At the same time, we also call on Bali’s Governor and the Republic’s President to steadfastly refuse to participate in any formal inauguration of the new project until they personally inspect the area and confirmed thatPT Jasa Marga has honored its pledge to the people of Bali and the Island's future generations by removing all the roads beneath the new toll way.

Does the deadline need to be so absolutely enforced? We think so.

Absolute promises made not to strangle the mangrove by building access roads were broken early in the building process. Therefore, now is the time for the project’s manager to demonstrate good faith and do all possible to set things right, even if that entails delaying the opening of the road.

Linking the operation of the highway to the removal of the access roads will also serve as an added incentive for the roadway’s investors to waste no time in keeping promises made to both the mangrove and the people of Bali.

The need to preserve this precious island's environment should never be assigned a less than fundamental priority.

© Bali Discovery Tours. Articles may be quoted and reproduced if attributed to http://www.balidiscovery.com.

Savoy Homann Bidakara Hotel, Bandung

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:09:24 PDT

Housed within an iconic curved-shaped building, Savoy Homann Bidakara offers elegant rooms in Bandung’s city centre.

Featuring free Wi-Fi in public areas, it has a spa and large outdoor pool. Enjoy 4-star comfort in air-conditioned rooms that have carpeted floors, seating area and classic wood furnishings. A TV with cable channels and free tea/coffee making amenities are provided.

Regular workouts can be maintained at Savoy Homann’s fitness centre. Alternatively, video and traditional games are available in the games room.

Staff are available throughout the day to attend to guest requests and laundry needs.

Garden Restaurant serves a variety of local and Asian favourites as well as Western dishes. Steak specialities are available at Sidewalk Cafe while the Batavia Bar offers refreshing cocktails.

Easily accessible from the Asia Afrika Museum, Savoy Homann Bidakara Hotel is a 30-minute drive from Husein Sastranegara Airport. It is a 2-hour train ride from Jakarta.

Related: Immerse Yourself in Bandung’s Art Deco Past

Book via Booking.com

Immerse Yourself in Bandung’s Art Deco Past

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:09:08 PDT

While many people visit Bandung to shop up a storm at its factory outlets, few realize the city is an architectural treasure trove.

In fact, Bandung is recognized as one of three cities in the world — the others being Napier in New Zealand and Miami in Florida — that still boast examples of tropical Art Deco architecture.

One of the best places to step back in time and explore this unique architectural style is at Bandung’s 185-room Savoy Homann Bidakara Hotel.

A striking blend of Western and Eastern influences, the hotel combines the sophisticated elegance of European Art Deco with the romanticism of early 20th-century Javanese architecture.

Built around 1871 by the Homann family to accommodate wealthy plantation owners visiting on weekends, the hotel initially resembled a regular residence of the time, complete with stilts, bamboo walls and a thatched roof.

While already prestigious, the Savoy Homann did not get its striking streamline Art Deco facade until 1939, after a revamp by Dutch architect Albert Aalbers.
Today, the original building has been incorporated into the Garden Wing, one of the hotel’s four distinct sections.

Over the years the Savoy Homann has undergone several make-overs and name changes, but the hotel’s finance manager Edwan Ariawan says the property has retained many of its unique architectural elements.

“The hotel’s designers adopted European Art Deco to the practicalities of a tropical climate, and overall this has been preserved,” he said.

“The only original elements that have undergone a transformation are the central garden, as well as the lobby and the grand ballroom, which have been enlarged to bring the hotel in line with today’s standards,” Edwan said, adding that the hotel’s most recent section, the Millennium Wing, was added in 2000.

Since its opening, the Savoy Homann has been considered the most luxurious hotel in Bandung and has played host to its fair share of well-known personalities.

While Thailand’s King Chulalongkorn was likely the first famous name to grace the hotel’s books when he stayed there in 1901, the guest that left the greatest impression on the city was the legendary silent film comedian Charlie Chaplin, who visited in 1927.

“The story is that the cheering Bandung residents, who stationed themselves outside the Savoy, made it difficult for Chaplin or his entourage to venture outside the perimeters of the hotel,” Edwan explained.

“In fact, many guests still request to sleep in Chaplin’s room.”

As one of the largest and most luxurious hotels in Southeast Asia during the 1950s, the Savoy Homann was also used as a venue for several distinguished delegations, the biggest one being the first large-scale Asian-African Conference, held in 1955.

It attracted representatives of 29 Asian and African countries, most newly independent, and was the first major gathering aimed at promoting cooperation between the countries in the region, and ironically — given the setting — opposing colonialism and neocolonialism.

“The hotel’s Golden Book, which is still on show in the lobby, has been signed by such notables as Cambodia’s Prince [and sometimes King] Norodom Sihanouk, the president of Egypt Abdul Nasser and the Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,” Ariawan added.

Those after a quick history lesson might wish to check out the countless photographs of old Bandung and the Savoy Homann’s past incarnations that grace the hallways.

While the Savoy Homann has lost its claim as one of the fanciest hotels in Southeast Asia, or even Bandung for that matter, its charm and historical value have withstood the succession of renovations.

“And we still get important guests here,” Ariawan said.

“President SBY [Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono] and the secretary [general] of the United Nations still stay in one of our three Homann Suites whenever they are in town.”

Savoy Homann Bidakara Hotel
Jalan Asia Afrika No. 112, Bandung (Jakarta Globe)

Follow The Sound of The Pipers to Jakarta Highland Gathering!

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:41:05 PDT

Bring Your Family For A Day of Fun

The Jakarta Highland Gathering is an annual event which combines a traditional Scottish Highland Games with a Fun Family Festival. There's a dedicated Kid's Area, Food Festival with over twenty restaurants (and all day live music), a dance stage featuring everything from Highland dancing to salsa and a host of sporting competitions.

23^th May '13: Highland Gathering Golf (13:00 WIB)

24^th May '13: The JHG Reception and Scotland in Concert (18:30 WIB)

25^th May '13: The Jakarta Highland Gathering (09:00 - 19:00 WIB)

26^th May '13: Kid's Charity Day (10:00 - 16:00 WIB)

Details: http://jkthighlandgathering.org/2013/

Jakarta's 486th birthday: Free museum entry for batik wearers

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Sun, 12 May 2013 20:35:58 PDT

A number of museums managed by the Jakarta administration will allow free entry for visitors wearing batik on Jakarta's 486th birthday, which falls on June 22.

"There will be no need to show identity cards. Visitors will only have to wear batik to enter the museums for free," Jakarta Cultural and Tourism Agency head Arie Budhiman said on Sunday as quoted by beritajakarta.com.

The museums include the Jakarta History Museum--also known as the Fatahillah Museum; the Wayang Museum; the Fine Art and Ceramic Museum in Old Town, West Jakarta; the Maritime Museum in the old Sunda Kelapa harbor area, Penjaringan, North Jakarta; the Joang 45 Museum in Menteng, Central Jakarta; the Textile Museum in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta; the MH Thamrin Museum in Senen, Central Jakarta, and the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta.

Celebrations for Jakarta's 486th anniversary, which will run from June 2 to July 3, will include a range of entertaining events, including the Jakarta Great Sale, the Jakarta Fair, Car Free Night, the Abang None beauty pageant, the Jakarta 10K run and the World Golf Championship. (Jakarta Post)

Jakarta to hold Old Town festival in August

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Sat, 11 May 2013 00:41:10 PDT

The Jakarta Administration, in collaboration with the central government, is set to host a three-week festival in Old Town, West Jakarta, in August to promote the area as a tourism icon of the city.

Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said on Friday that the festival would be part of the ministry’s and the administration’s plan to develop Old Town Jakarta as a creative public sphere, with the involvement of artists and small and medium enterprises.

“The event details will be a surprise. But there will be lots of cuisine and shows from creative industry players. Museums will also have extended hours during the festival,” Mari said at City Hall after a meeting with Jakarta Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, adding that she and Jokowi also discussed plans to revitalize Old Town Jakarta as the center of creativity.

She said that both the ministry and the administration would establish a special task force for the revitalization, which would also involve the Finance and State-owned Enterprises Ministries. (Jakarta Post)

Jakarta hotels

Singapore Airlines resumes Surabaya flights, adds frequency for Jakarta, Bali

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Fri, 10 May 2013 02:54:31 PDT

Singapore Airlines (SIA) is set to resume flights to Surabaya by taking out one of two daily flights currently being served by its fully owned subsidiary, SilkAir.

Starting on July 26, the new route will use an Airbus A 330-300 widebody aircraft with 30 business-class seats and 255 economy-class seats.

Flight SQ930 departs Singapore’s Changi International Airport at 7:50 a.m local time (6:50 a.m. Jakarta time) and arrives at Juanda International Airport at 9:10 a.m. The returning flight SQ931 departs at 10:30 a.m. and arrives in Singapore at 13:35 p.m. local time.

“This will increase Singapore Airlines and SilkAir’s joint capacity along this route by 48 percent,” Singapore Airlines general manager for Indonesia, David Lau, told reporters at a media luncheon on Wednesday.

SilkAir currently uses Airbus A320/319 narrowbody aircraft with eight business-class seats and 128 economy-class seats, he told The Jakarta Post at the luncheon.

“Actually, Singapore Airlines used to fly to Surabaya before being replaced by SilkAir in 2005,” he said.

“We handed over the route to SilkAir because Surabaya needed frequency but we did not have sufficient rights based on the air service agreement between both countries.”

Lau said a new agreement reached in March now allowed Singapore Airlines to fly the route. Singapore Airlines public relations manager in Indonesia, Glory Henriette, said the air service agreement regulated the number of seats that would be allocated for each route. “We used to serve Surabaya with larger aircrafts but the passengers needed frequency so we used SilkAir’s smaller aircraft,” she told the Post.

On July 26, the airline will also add a ninth daily flight to Jakarta and a fourth daily flight to Bali.

Flight SQ964 departs Changi at 4:25 p.m. local time and arrives at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 5:10 p.m. The returning flight, SQ965, departs Jakarta at 6:10 p.m. and arrives at 8:45 p.m. local time.

When asked why the ninth flight used an A330-300 instead of Boeing 777-200/300, Glory said the market demanded more business-class seats while most 777-200/300 had a three-class configuration.

For its Bali route, SQ940 to Ngurah Rai International Airport departs Singapore at 7 a.m. local time and arrives at 9:35 a.m. The additional flight, SQ949, leaves Bali at 9:45 p.m. and arrives in Singapore at 12:15 a.m. the following day.

The additional flight to Bali will use a 777-200, which has a two-class configuration with a capacity of 323 seats.

SIA manager in Bali Eric Eng said that Bali had become a place for travel and business for Singaporeans.

“Many Singaporeans are of Chinese descent. They love seeing Chinese elements in Balinese culture as well as in its architecture, arts and textiles,” he said. (Jakarta Post)

Accor wins International Hospitality Excellence Award

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:01:43 PDT

Accor has won the International Hospitality Excellence Award at the Indonesia Hospitality & Tourism Investment Conference (IHT) in Jakarta, in recognition of the group’s commitment to service excellence and industry best practices. The win comes as Accor – the largest international hotel operator in Asia Pacific - celebrates its 20th year in Indonesia, during which the group has built a strong network of almost 60 hotels in the country’s key destinations.

Michael Issenberg, Accor’s Chairman and Chief Operating Officer - Asia Pacific, said he was pleased that the group’s dedication to the development of tourism in Indonesia had been rewarded.

“Our strength in Indonesia has been key to our growth across Asia Pacific and I congratulate our team in Indonesia on this well-deserved award,” he said.

Gerard Guillouet, Senior Vice President Operations Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore echoed those thoughts. “We are delighted to be recognised by senior industry executives across the region for this prestigious award,” he said. “This award is testament to Accor’s leadership position in the country and to all our teams within Indonesia who work tirelessly to create the best possible experience for our guests.

“Accor has been committed to the Indonesian market since 1993 when we opened our first Ibis and we are currently the largest international hotel operator in the country, so our commitment to Indonesia remains strong. This year has seen us partner with Indonesia as Official Hotel Partner at ITB in Germany and work with the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism to invite hundreds of travel influencers to explore the country, so this award provides recognition to Accor for these continued efforts to promote Indonesia to the world.”

With plans to almost double its Indonesian network in the next few years, Accor sees the archipelago as a strategic destination within its network and will strengthen its upscale offerings in the country this year with the opening of Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua and the addition of the Amarterra Villas Nusa Dua into the upmarket boutique MGallery label.

To help drive European visitation to Indonesia, Accor also recently announced that 11 hotels in Bali and Lombok have been accredited to deliver “Optimum Service Standards” to provide the highest levels of dedicated service to visitors from Europe with multi-lingual front desk staff (German, French, Dutch, Russian), translated in-room information, European TV channels and other services to make visitors from these countries feel more at home during their stay. (TravelDailyNews)

Govt opens chance for foreign investment in tourism sector

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:58:14 PDT

The Indonesian government is opening a chance for foreign investors to invest in the country`s tourism sector, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said.

"We are very open to foreign nationals to invest in the tourism sector," she said at a press conference here on Tuesday.

She said foreign investors are allowed to hold a 100 percent stake in three-star hotels and above, tourist resort, golf court, convention hall, and world-class hotel, among others.

Meanwhile, foreign ownership of other business must not exceed 50 percent, she said.

No investment in gambling den and casino is allowed in the country, she said.

Data released by the ministry`s economic impact team show the tourism sector employed 9.28 million people in the country last year and contributed Rp104.5 trillion to the state income.

The tourism sector contributed 3.9 percent or Rp321.57 trillion to the gross domestic product and Rp11.57 trillion to tax receipts.

According to the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), investment in the tourism sector jumped 210.86 percent to US$869.8 billion in 2012 from a year earlier, consisting of domestic investment worth US$101.5 billion and foreign investment worth US$786.3 billion. (Antara)

Padang is ready to play host for TIME Pasar Wisata

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Tue, 07 May 2013 01:07:07 PDT

The Tourism Indonesia Mart & Expo (TIME) or ‘Pasar Wisata Indonesia’ will this year take place in Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra after being held for two years in Bandar Lampung. This premier tourism event is scheduled to be held on 18 – 21 October 2013 at Grand Inna Muara Hotel & Convention Centre. Entering its 19th year of conduct, TIME is organized to promote Indonesia as a tourist destination in the international market and at the same time raise the country’s image as a global travel destination.

Meity Robot, Chairwoman of the Steering Committee of TIME 2013 said that in its 18-year history, TIME has previously been held in Java and Eastern Indonesia (Makassar and Lombok). Lampung is the first venue for TIME in Sumatra. “We are happy to announce that TIME this year will take place in Padang,” said Metty.

“The shifting of TIME to West Sumatra is aimed at promoting West Sumatra to the international market and speeding up the development and improvement of infrastructure, tourism facilities and tourism attractions in the region, so that at the end the destination could establish itself as a global travel destination. It will attract more tourist arrivals to the island and speed up the improvement of infrastructure and encourage more investors to the region to develop new hotels as well as tourism attractions,” Meity went on.

Padang was affected three years ago by a strong earthquake. The hosting of TIME Pasar Wisata will also help to show how the destination has now recovered and how it is now able to embrace tourism again.

Various destinations in Sumatra are equipped with a good variety of quality hotels as well as cultural, natural and man-made attractions. “Hosting TIME would allow international buyers to take a closer look at the products on offer and aid local tourism stakeholders in selling their products overseas,” she added.

There are six (regional) gateways in Sumatra, namely Banda Aceh, Medan, Pekanbaru, Padang, Palembang and Batam. “While direct regional services are still limited to Malaysia and Singapore, destinations in Sumatra can use these regional hubs to attract travellers from beyond these countries,” Meity concluded.

As every year, top industry policy-makers, sellers and buyers of Indonesian tourism products and services will be participating. TIME accommodates the interests of local industry players seeking to introduce their tourism products and services to the international markets. The event will feature the best of Indonesia’s tourist attractions, including exciting destinations and special interests as well as top tourist facilities in the country. The annual mart is run on a yearly rotating basis to promote as much provinces to the world as possible in the future.

TIME 2013 is organized by the Indonesian Tourism Council together with the Provincial Government of West Sumatra and is fully supported by the Ministry of Tourism & Creative Economy of Indonesia and the entire tourism components in Indonesia.

TIME 2013 is also supported by Garuda Indonesia as Official Airlines, other supporting airlines, Association of the Indonesian Tours & Travel Agencies (ASITA) Padang, Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Padang, Indonesian Conference and Convention Association (INCCA), and Pacto Convex as the event organizer.

Last year, TIME in Bandar Lampung attracted 83 buyers from 28 countries dominated by India, Singapore, China, The Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates, with 74 Indonesian sellers occupying 60 booths. The percentage of sellers based on industry covered Hotel, Resort & Spa (75%), NTO (10%), Tour Operator/Travel Agent (7%), Adventure/Activity Holiday (3%), Airline (1.5%), and Others (Hotel Management, etc. (8.5%)). (TravelDailyNews)

Sebaru Island, a New Destination

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Sun, 05 May 2013 01:52:38 PDT

Sebaru Island, one of the islands located in at the Thousand Islands, Jakarta, has become a prime destination for divers due to its unscathed underwater beauty.

Compared to other islands such as Pramuka or Tidung, Sebaru lies farther from Jakarta. The island usually sees few visitors--mostly divers looking for the perfect spot, as confirmed by Wibowo, a diver instructor that often visits Sebaru Island.

Recently, the island underwent coral reef preservation as an effort to regenerate Indonesia's underwater beauty.
"So it will still be there, the future generation needs to see it," Wibowo said.
Along with those who care with coral reef preservation, Wibowo and dozens of diver took part in planting the Acropora coral reef in Sebaru island’s sea. "After a month, we can see if whether or not they would grow. Therefore, we have to monitor its growth frequently," said Sairan, a sea preservation officer.

Coral reef preservation is relatively easy, but must be accompanied with routine supervision. Around 80 percent of coral reef planting usually succeeds. Again, preservation is essential to keep the beauty intact, especially in islands like the Seribu archipelago, Bunaken, and Raja Ampat. (Tempo.co)

Related: Tidung Island: A Heavenly Destination

Bali hosts world's biggest media brands at APOS 2013

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Wed, 01 May 2013 21:25:21 PDT

Disney, FOX, NBC, Sony, HBO, MNC Indonesia and BBC Worldwide gathered in Bali for the fourth annual Asia-Pacific Pay-TV Operators Summit (APOS), a high-profile conference held at Bali’s newest MICE destination, AYANA Resort and Spa.

Attended by more than 620 participants this year, including top executives from the world’s most influential media and pay-TV operator brands, the summit has been held at AYANA since its inception in 2010, and has become renowned as “the best industry event in the world” according to participants.

Held from 22-24 April, APOS 2013 provided an opportunity for media executives and companies to forge new partnerships, deepen relationships, explore new strategic opportunities and enter new markets across Asia-Pacific. MPA’s expert analysis and moderation of the conference program was complemented by world-class events held at AYANA’s unique facilities including the newly renovated Ballroom, which enabled media brands to maximize their presence and value at the conference and break-out meetings. Highlights included:

FOX International Channels hosted a VIP Dinner at the three-bedroom AYANA Villa presented by MasterChef Season 1 Winner Sharone Hakman. The following night, FOX put on a Gala Dinner at the ocean-front Chandra Surya lawn, where Nat Geo WILD's Brady Barr surprised the audience by bringing a large crocodile onto the set, before guests moved to Rock Bar for an after-party until the early hours.

MNC Indonesia presented the APOS13 Closing Dinner at Champa Garden, the resort’s 20,000sqm private function area, with MTV Indonesia VJ Daniel Mananta as EmCee and a performance by Indonesian Idol Season 7 winner Regina Ivanova. The audience participation factor was particularly high, with top media executives leading a Gangnam Style dance-off and one executive with a gift for the guitar joining the band on stage for an impromptu rendition of Beatles and Rolling Stones tracks.

HBO hosted the closing Celebration Party at Rock Bar, where participants enjoyed the unique location of this stunning open-air bar perched on natural rock 14 meters above the ocean, under a star-studded and almost full-moon sky, with views over the spot-lit Indian Ocean.

“With AYANA as our core strategic partner for APOS, we have the ability to be very creative, which reflects the nature of the dynamic media industry that we’re in,” said Mr Wilkinson. “Other countries in the region have approached us, seeking to be the host-nation for APOS, however, whenever we consider the full scale of APOS, its events and the needs of our clients, speakers and participants, plus the calibre of our attendees from across the planet, in addition the significant business and economic opportunities presented by Indonesia, we keep coming back to Indonesia, and more specifically to AYANA.”

APOS13 follows the recent upgrade of AYANA’s MICE facilities, with a Ballroom extension to increase capacity by 80 percent to 900 people and six new break-out rooms including a 150-person high-tech state of the art auditorium, a unique facility on the island of Bali. This upgrade is strategically timed ahead of the launch of ‘RIMBA’, a 297-room resort adjacent to AYANA, within the 77-hectare Karang Mas Estate. Under the same management company, Capella Hotel Group, the resort is branded RIMBA Jimbaran Bali (‘rimba’ is Indonesian for ‘forest’) and is set to open in late 2013 in response to growing demand from MICE and Wedding groups of more than 150 people, which AYANA alone has not had availability to accommodate. RIMBA will support the accommodation requirements for such groups, and will also have its own Ballroom and additional meeting rooms to supplement AYANA’s MICE facilities. (eTurboNews)

Singapore’s Far East to open resorts in Bintan and Bali

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:11:48 PDT

Far East Hospitality, a management firm under Singapore’s largest private property developer, the Far East Organization, plans to open two resorts in Bintan, Riau Islands and Bali as part of the company’s expansion into Indonesia.

Far East Hospitality head of field sales Marina Buenaventura said that its new resort in the Bali was under construction while its portfolio in Bintan was entering the finalization stage.

“We expect to start operations at our Bali resort-style hotel in the middle of 2015 while the one in Bintan would open by the end of 2015,” Marina said in Jakarta on Monday.

She said that the firm was going to introduce its chic and exclusive boutique hotels under the Quincy brand at both tourist destinations.

“Quincy is the perfect accommodation for people who are looking for privacy and exclusivity. The hotel is accessible only with guestroom keycards even in the restaurant and lobby,” she said.

The firm plans to build more than 200 rooms and suites in each Quincy to cater to the increasing demand from the leisure traveler market in Bali and Bintan.

In Bali, she said the hotel would be located in the Jimbaran area and would have a sunset view. In the long-term, she said that they had plans to open hotels in major cities such as Jakarta and Medan, North Sumatra and second tier cities including Yogyakarta and Makassar, South Sulawesi, in the future.

The firm is expecting to introduce their other brands such as Village and Oasia in Indonesia.

Apart from Indonesia, Far East Hospitality is targeting to expand its footprint by tapping into Southeast Asia and Australia’s economic development over the next few years.

It is plotting property expansion in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Australia while back in its home country, Far East will add two more hotels: Village Hotel Katong and Amoy Hotel.

Currently, it operates the largest hospitality portfolio in Singapore comprising eight hotels and nine serviced residences with a combined inventory of more than 3,400 units in addition to the Sri Tiara residences in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

With the property sector experiencing robust growth, the company also plans to enter the serviced residences market.

“We are always open to those opportunities. Our business development team is exploring the feasibility of the serviced residences business. We now have representatives in Jakarta,” she went on. Strong economic performance and the increasing middle class have made Indonesia attractive to for foreign hotel firms. (Jakarta Post)

Related:
Banyan Tree Bintan Resort
Alila Villas Bintan and Alila Seminyak scheduled to launch in 2014
Meritus Hotels & Resorts to Manage Hotel on Funtasy Island

Best Western Star Hotel, Semarang

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 01:41:18 PDT

Centrally located in Semarang City, Best Western Star Hotel is a 4-star property with a restaurant and a gym on site. It offers a luxurious stay in its modern air-conditioned rooms. Free Wi-Fi is accessible in all areas.

Situated next to Java Shopping Mall, Best Western Star Hotel is a 10-minute drive from Sam Po Kong Temple and Lawang Sewu.

Ahmad Yani International Airport and the historical Kota Lama are both within 15 minutes’ drive from the property.

Rooms are tastefully fitted with stylish furnishings and warm lighting. They come with a work space, flat-screen satellite TV and a fridge. Offering a complete set of toiletries, each en suite bathroom has shower facilities.

Newspapers, luggage storage and safety deposit boxes are available at the 24-hour front desk. Guests can enjoy pampering treatments at the hotel’s spa. Car rentals are offered at a charge, while free on-site parking is provided.

Prima Restaurant serves a variety of Indonesian and Western delights. Breakfast and other meals can also be enjoyed in the privacy of guestrooms.

Address: (Show map)

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Tracing the glory of Majapahit

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 06:12:50 PDT

The Majapahit kingdom is believed to be the largest pre-independence kingdom in the archipelago.

Even after more than 700 years, vestiges of the kingdom’s heyday can still be seen in Trowulan district in Mojokerto, East Java, where the kingdom had its center.

If it was not for Gajah Mada, a powerful military leader and mahapatih (prime minister), the kingdom might not have reached its peak of glory.

One day in the 13th century, the general, during his appointment as mahapatih under the rule of Queen Tribhuwana Wijayotunggadewi, vowed not to taste any spices until he had conquered all of the Southeast Asian archipelago, known as Nusantara, for the empire. The oath is popularly known as the Sumpah Palapa (Palapa Oath).

Gajah Mada is believed to have been successful, unifying Nusantara under the kingdom’s control — except the Padjadjaran kingdom in West Java, Majapahit’s closest neighbor and the only remaining state that refused to recognize Majapahit’s hegemony.

Some of the kingdom’s heritage, including the water canals, remain intact and well-preserved, spread out over a 99-square kilometer area in humble Trowulan.

“Thanks to the irrigation system established during the Majapahit era we have never been flooded here,” a native of Trowulan, Herutomo, said recently.

Segaran Pool

The Segaran pool was one of 32 ancient ponds — and the largest of all — from the Majapahit era that still can be seen today. The 46,875-square meter pool was built slightly higher than its surroundings and is currently used to irrigate paddy fields adjacent to the pool. Excavation work has uncovered channels for incoming and outgoing water, showing that the people of that time were well aware of the importance of preserving and recycling water to ward off water crises.

Besides functioning as a water reservoir, the lake was also believed to have been used to lower the heat in the area.

A folktale says that during the kingdom’s heyday, the pool of water was used as a recreational site for the royals, as well as a place where the king entertained his foreign guests. When supper was finished, the king would throw the golden cutlery they were using into the lake as a way to show how wealthy the kingdom was.

But little did the guests know that a net had been set up under the surface to catch the cutlery. Once the guests left, the cutlery would be pulled back to the surface to be used again.

Wringin Lawang Gate

Wringin Lawang, which translates as ficus tree and gate, is a gate at a height of 15 meters. Locals call it Wringin Lawang because there used to be a ficus tree next to the gate. The tree was cut in 1993 on concerns that the roots were disturbing the structure. Just like most of Majapahit’s archeological sites, the gate was made of red bricks.

Wringin Lawang is believed to have functioned as a gate into a high-profile residential compound. Digging work has found that there used to be high walls attached to each side of the gate, causing speculation that it also functioned as a separator to prevent people from outside Majapahit from entering the area.

Some locals believe Wringin Lawang was the gate to the Majapahit palace.

INACRAFT 2013 Exhibition, April 24 - 28 at Jakarta Convention Center

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:07:17 PDT

The Biggest and The Most Complete Exhibition of Gifts and Housewares INACRAFT 2013 is being held for the 15th time, for five days from 24 - 28 April 2013 at the Jakarta Convention Center, Jalan Gatot Subroto, Jakarta.

Indonesia's largest craft fairs held every year since 1999 was organized by the Association of Exporters and Producers of Indonesian Handicrafts (ASEPHI) in cooperation with PT Mediatama Binakreasi, and supported by several ministries and state-owned enterprises associated with the formation and development of Small Medium Enterprises (SME) and Cooperatives.

Like last year, the number of visitors during the five-day exhibition is expected to reach 200 thousand visitors. The visitors INACRAFT not only come from the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi course, many visitors from outside the island of Java, which came as Bali, Lombok, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua.

In addition, through registration on-line media, around 650 foreign buyers have said they would come, such as Malaysia, Singapore, Middle East, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Australia, with the highest percentage of the number of countries Malaysia.

It is expected that the number of buyers who will visit the exhibition INACRAFT will reach 1000 people. Meanwhile, the trade deal is expected to rise 7.5% larger than last year's 203 billion with the contact details of the results of 88 billion business and retail sales of Rp 115 billion more.

With the central theme "From Smart Village to Global Market", INACRAFT 2013 is intended to facilitate the Indonesian handicraft products to be able to rise to a higher level and elevate Indonesian handicraft products that have selling in order to compete with similar foreign products in the international market.

INACRAFT 2013 raised the sub theme "Towards the Global Market through the Environmantally Friendly Handicraft" as for the intent and purpose of this exhibition gives priority products that are environmentally friendly which is based on the utilization of raw materials available in Indonesian products and processes.

Nowadays environmentally friendly products into products for inclusion in the scale handicraft industry in the world and increasingly sought by national and international markets.

INACRAFT 2013 also presents "Remarkable East Java" as the main icon with the aim of exploring a wealth of handicrafts East Java that has the potential to produce large handicraft and good business opportunities to be developed so that a superior product that will be able to take part in improving the Indonesian craft product exports. These icons will look very thick with the feel of East Java in the entire area exhibits ranging from the main gate, opening ceremony stage, hanging banners inside and outside the exhibition area, art shows and booth East Java icon in the Main Lobby.

Additionally INACRAFT 2013 provides business consulting opportunities that will be held in the Lower Lobby area with experts from CBI Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and AHPADA Bangkok.

Craft items on display include a variety of handmade products from textiles such as batik, weaving, embroidery, songket, ikat and various accessories, wooden crafts such as sculpture, carved furniture, picture frames, educational toys for kids and so on; goods jewelry of gold, silver and precious stones; ceramic handicrafts, pottery and earthenware; thousands of types of home decoration and other craft items.

Source: http://www.inacraft.co.id/

Budget of Rp3.7 trillion proposed to support Sail Komodo

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:01:01 PDT

East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) provincial government has proposed a budget of Rp3.7 trillion for infrastructure development to support the success of Sail Kommodo 2013, an official has said.

"Such an amount of funds is proposed to the central government to support the construction of various infrastructures on Komodo island as the final destination of Sail Komodo participants," NTT Regional Development Planning Board spokesman Wayan Darmawan said here on Thursday.

According to him, the funds would be used for the expansion of airport, tourist harbor, as well as other tourist facilities on Komodo island.

"There is also financial support from NTT regional budget but the amount is not significant enough," Wayan Darmawan said, adding that all district and city governments in the province were also asked to allocate Rp100 billion from 2012 revised regional budget and Rp125 billion from 2013 regional budget.

He expressed hope that all relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Public Works, and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries will support the success of this international marine event this year in East Nusa Tenggara.

"The success of Sail Komodo 2013 will depend on the readiness all related ministries to do their basic tasks and functions to support the event," Wayan Darmawan noted.

He added that all district and city governments in East Nusa Tenggara are making various preparations for the international marine event of Sail Komodo, which is expected to give positive impact on economic development in the province. (Antara)

Maya Ubud Resort & Spa gives back to community with children’s learning program

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:48:40 PDT

The Maya Ubud Resort & Spa in Bali is one of the Green Leaders in the travel and tourism industry, and already achieved a top ranking in the Green Globe Certification program. As part of their ongoing CSR initiatives, the property is immersed in a number of activities and charitable organizations that give back to the community and environment.

On April 9, 2013, Maya Ubud Resort & Spa together with Ms. Lucille Wood and Ms. Dianne Lucas of the Gita International Yoga Foundation in Australia, visited neighboring primary school, SDN 2 Pejeng Kawan, and conducted a “Learning with Fun” program for the children, providing them with a new fun approach in their daily learning process.

Today’s youth are our future and the education of our children is the key for creating a better tomorrow. Maya Ubud Resort & Spa actively promotes this new academic concept, which aims to make the learning process for young children more attractive, joyful and fun. For the event on April 9 student participation was encouraged in order to avoid a passive learning experience. Many schools are still not aware of how to create a learning environment, stimulating for children to form good study habits and overcome difficulties.

A “Learning with Fun,” session revolves around motivating and engaging the children in an atmosphere of relaxation to enhance and balance their intellectual abilities. The goal of this program is to improve and encourage the children’s talents to be more creative, productive, intelligent, and create a willingness and desire to learn well with passion.

More than 50 children, ranging from 1st to 6th grade joined the program on April 9. Everybody involved showed great enthusiasm and expressed their wish to having additional similar programs in the near future.

ABOUT MAYA UBUD RESORT&SPA

The Maya Ubud Resort & Spa sits between the Petanu River valley and the verdant rice fields of Peliatan. Bali’s award winning Maya Ubud Resort & Spa is a masterpiece of contemporary wonder and ethnic chic. Natural colors and local materials have been blended to harmonize with the environment; three exceptional restaurants offer specialties from around the world, combined with organic cuisine, and the delightful accommodations include individual Balinese-style villas, many of which boast private plunge pools. The ten hectare tract of land is a tranquil haven of tropical gardens and 108 architect-designed luxury guest rooms and villas. Shaded by verdant jungle foliage, the enchanting Spa at Maya offers exotic and invigorating treatments in calm seclusion in its thatched pavilions overhanging the swirling waters of the Petanu River as it carves its way through the valley below. Favored by honeymooners and holiday makers alike, Maya Ubud is an ideal choice for those looking for luxurious facilities in a special piece of untouched Bali; a wedding destination or a romantic hideaway, where guests can experience peace and tranquility in beautiful surroundings with personalized service and excellent food.

Contact: Angga Respathy Hsu, E-Commerce & Social Media Manager, Maya Ubud Resort & Spa, jl.Gunung Sari Peliatan, Ubud, Bali 80571, Indonesia, Phone +62 361 977888, Fax +62 361 977555, Email ecommerce@mayaubud.com , www.mayabud.com (eTurboNews)

Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 06:20:46 PDT

A luxurious retreat awaits guests at Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta, a 5-minute drive from the vibrant Malioboro Street. Housing a gym, 3 dining options and an outdoor pool, the hotel offers 24-hour room service and free Wi-Fi throughout the building.

Elegantly decorated, rooms in Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta feature a seating area and an LED TV with cable channels.

Guests enjoy plenty of natural light and views of Mount Merapi or the pool from the floor-to-ceiling windows or private balconies.

The property enjoys a strategic location just a 5-minute drive from Yogyakarta Royal Palace and a 20-minute drive from Adi Sucipto International Airport.

Prambanan Temple is 30 minutes’ drive away, while it takes 45 minutes to drive to Borobudur Temple from the hotel.

Guests can unwind with a soothing in-room massage, pamper themselves at the spa, or play tennis.

For guests’ travel and professional needs, the hotel has a business centre and a tour desk on site. Luggage can be stored at the 24-hour front desk.

Overlooking the pool, Kayumanis Coffee Shop serves Indonesian and International specialties. The Grand Duck King offers Chinese cuisine, while Eboni Bar & Lounge serves a variety of snacks and beverages.

Hotel Rooms: 273
Booking.com rating: 8.8
Address: (Show map)

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Minister to open Nusantara Batik Expo

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:24:37 PDT

A batik exhibition displaying batik clothes from various Indonesian regions such as Java and Papua is being organized at the industry ministry building on Gatot Subroto street here from April 23 to 26, 2013.

"The batik expo is being participated in by batik producers grouped in the Indonesian Batik Foundation from West Java, East Java, Yogyakarta and Papua," Euis Saedah, the industry ministry`s director general for small-and-medium scale industry, said here on Tuesday.

Officially opened by Industry Minister MS Hidayat, the batik expo is part of a series of batik exhibition events which will include Nusantara Batik Expo to be held at the Jakarta Convention Center, July 17-21, 2013.

Forty four batik producers are taking part in the four-day batik expo. (Antara)

An orangutan baby born in a wildlife park

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:25:21 PDT

A female baby orangutan was born and named `Belia` in the Wonosari Mangkang Wildlife Park, Semarang, Central Java, on Saturday, a park official said.

"The baby orangutan was named after Belia, a combination of her parents` names `Billi` and `Bella`," the park chief Kusyanto said here on Sunday.

He said that the birth of Belia increased the number of orangutans in the park to four. Another young orangutan in the park, name Kemo, is now growing into adulthood.

"Bella has also once in the past gave birth to a baby orangutan but the newly born animal died one hour after birth. It had abnormal backbones and it was in critical condition when it was born," he said.(Antara)

Lotte Group Shoots for $100 Million in Sales for New Jakarta Mall

jalan2indonesia@yahoo.com (Jalan2Indonesia) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:08:34 PDT

The soon-to-open Lotte Shopping Avenue in Jakarta is targeting to hit $100 million in retail sales by its third year amid immense buying power from middle class consumers, the director said on Thursday.

Suh Chang Suk, president director of Lotte Shopping Avenue, said Korean-based retail company Lotte Group had set its eyes on opening a mall in Indonesia for 10 years because of the country’s robust consumer sector. “We have conducted research since 10 years ago. Indonesia has a big population, enormous natural resources and high potential compared to other countries. Indonesia has many qualifications in the retail sector,” he said on Thursday.

“We target in the first year we can get $6 million sales and it could be $100 million in the third year.”

The mall will target the upper middle class with retailers like Lotte Duty Free, Uniqlo, Hide Yamamoto and Korea-based Seri Salon.
Lotte Shopping Avenue will have its grand opening on June 22 in the Ciputra World Superblock in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

With investment of up to $100 million, Indonesia’s Lotte Shopping Avenue is the first mall the company has opened in Southeast Asia.

Okezone.com reported that Lotte plans to invest up to $500 million in Indonesia by 2018. The investment will include five new malls in big cities like Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan. Suh said the company will hire roughly 10,000 employees by 2018.

Lotte Shopping Avenue will occupy 77,000 square meters with seven floors of stores. The mall will also have WiFi and a concert hall.(Jakarta Globe)