West Java Newsletter Jan 2014

New Bandung to offer lots of excitement

After launching vintage-style double-decker tour buses on New Year’s Eve, which are said to begin operation before mid-2014, newly elected Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil inaugurated a new park earlier this month.

Thematic parks

Located just below the Pasupati Highway, the park was interestingly named Taman Jomblo (Jomblo Park) -- interesting because jomblo is a Sundanese word for ‘single’. The mayor reportedly said, half-jokingly, that the purpose of such a park is to accommodate the city's young singles, who can mingle in the 25-30 meter area.

Near Jomblo Park, two skate parks are under construction -- one intended for beginners and the other one for professional skaters. Passersby can already see curling walls being built on the site.

Altogether, the Bandung city administration is set to open up to seven thematic parks below the Pasupati Highway and at least six new parks throughout the city within this year.

These parks will give Bandung a fresh visual makeover, and its people are already enjoying several city corners that have been improved with more plants and flowers.

Since the end of last year, several public places, including parks, have also been equipped with free Wi-Fi as part of the city’s program Bandung Juara (Champion Bandung).

According to musician and Bandung native Arie Widiawan, who tried the free Wi-Fi facility at public places such as Bandung Indah Plaza shopping mall and Taman Pramuka park, the connection was quite satisfying.

“But users need to sign in first,” he explained, adding that the sign-in process was not complicated at all.

New stadium

Another exciting piece of progress this year is the ongoing construction of Stadion Gelora Bandung Lautan Api -- a stadium previously known as Gedebage Stadium -- in the Gedebage area.

This stadium will be the home base for the city’s football club, Persib Bandung.

Egga Kunstler, a big fan of the club, admitted that he is very excited about the new stadium as it will not only be very large in capacity but will also be equipped with LED billboard screens. Fans of the club are known locally as “bobotoh Persib”.

“It will be similarly grand and modern as the stadiums for the Premier League,” Egga added passionately, referring to the news he read on bobotoh Persib's website Simamaung.

Egga hoped that the new stadium would bring great luck for Persib Bandung and would enable it to become Indonesia's number one football club again -- reviving Persib Bandung’s glory years, which have long since passed.

Prepaid parking meters

In the Braga area, as of late December last year, several bright red boxes have been placed along the side of Jl. Braga. Those boxes are the city’s new prepaid parking meters.

Still on trial, the new system is one of the city’s latest strategies to reduce the faults of conventional parking contributions.

Parking attendants, dressed in bright orange uniforms -- which are an elaborated and more stylish version of the old uniform -- will assist drivers in using the new pre-paid parking meters.

For tourists, these bright red boxes and the new parking attendant uniforms give the famous Jl. Braga a fresh atmosphere of sophistication.

With so many improvements being made, and many projects ongoing, hopes are high and locals are optimistic that Bandung will soon become a more beautiful and comfortable city to live in and to travel to.

West Java News Update December 2013

Highlight 2013: Trendy budget hotels boom

According to a recent UN-WTO World Tourism Barometer report, up to 298 million international tourists traveled worldwide in the first four months of 2013, which equals a 4.3 percent increase from the 286 million last year.

The report said that the challenging global economic environment hadn’t perturbed the growth of the industry. Southeast Asia saw a 12 percent increase in international visitors this year.

The global tourism boom has produced new budget hotels that are chic, clean and offer great services.

In Indonesia, the trend started flourishing perhaps three years ago when, according to Archipelago International VP sales and marketing head Nobert Vas. Archipelago International and Santika with its Amaris brand opened internationally branded budget hotels. Since then, word has spread fast and other hotel operators followed.

This year alone, Archipelago International opened eight Fave hotels and seven NEO hotels, its two budget brands.

Another company, Max One, whose tagline is "a value design hotel with feeling", has opened two new branches in Palembang and Bukit Jimbaran, Bali.

Meanwhile, Kagum Hotel group launched Zodiak Hotel to cater to the needs of modern budget hotel goers. So far, there are five Zodiak Hotels total with three branches in Bandung, one in Yogyakarta, and one in Surabaya.

According to Vas, the growth of chic budget hotels in Indonesia was driven by the increase in the country's middle class and also a change in customer demographics. Now more and more younger customers are demanding well-managed, clean and contemporary style establishments to be able to stay comfortably.

To cater to this market, Archipelago International focuses on the four Bs: bed, bath, breakfast and broadband. Vas believes if the four Bs are combined with friendly and motivated staff and a clean environment, the guests will be happy.

Clara Ng, famous Indonesian writer who travels frequently for work and holiday, said she was happy now that budget hotels were getting better. She shared her latest experience of staying at Max One Bukit Jimbaran, Bali.

“I got a booking mixed up and that night, I went to Ubud the whole day and only needed a place to crash at the area. Max One Hotels gave a friendly rate at only Rp 350,000 [US$28.70] when I checked in, almost midnight. At first, I did not expect too much but, to my surprise, the hotel was very pleasant,” she recalled.

Clara also said that nowadays budget hotels paid detailed attention to bed and shower.

“The beds are generally comfortable and the shower is clean and even sophisticated, unlike in the past where budget hotels' showers were often unbearable with no hot water running,” she said.

Clara added that she was also pleased that Max One gave 24-hour service and that the room was quite spacious too.

With people being more aware of architecture and design, Clara said this also boosted the growth of trendy budget hotels.

“Now design is getting affordable, and minimalism and modern style often translates into less furniture that cramps the room," she added.

What Clara experienced in Bali is one of the main reasons Kagum Hotel group is seriously developing the Zodiak brand.

According to Kagum Hotel marketing communication manager Bunga Faiti Putri, Zodiak is the company's answer to the rising demand for clean and comfortable hotels where guests can crash for the night.

“Now, with people often traveling for food, visiting tourism objects or shopping, they don’t want to spend a lot of time in the hotel relaxing. Mostly, they just need a place to rest at night and this is where budget hotels come in," Bunga explained.

At the moment, budget hotels in Indonesia are still largely occupied by domestic visitors. According to Vas, their hotels in Jakarta have the highest occupancy rate, above 90 percent, and all were driven by the domestic market, with the exception of Bali where they have large numbers of foreigners who are mainly from Australia, Japan and Russia.

Zodiak Hotels in Bandung, according to Bunga, also have high occupancy rates from the domestic market, with 60 percent of their guests coming from Jakarta for a weekend getaway. Its foreign guests mostly came from neighboring countries like Malaysia.

Next year, it looks like the flourishing trend in budget hotels in Indonesia will not slow down.

Kagum Hotel will add more Zodiak Hotels in Bali by February 2014, while Archipelago International is set to open 25 Fave Hotels and six more NEO Hotels. Max One Hotel also has plans to open at least eight more branches in several Indonesian cities.

With more and more budget hotels emerging, this means more competition, and luring customers with low rates will be an important strategy.

"This includes adjusting room prices and setting them based on availability," said Bunga.

Meanwhile, Vas said that staying focused on the basics and not compromising on standards was key for Archipelago International.

“Just the other day I spoke to a guest who gave us the compliment that we are getting better and better and our hotel looked fresh even after we have been open for two years," said Vas.

Fave Hotel: This year alone, Archipelago International opened eight Fave hotels and seven NEO hotels, its two budget brands

Zodiak Hotel: Kagum Hotel group launched Zodiak Hotel to cater to the needs of modern budget hotel goers. So far, there are five Zodiak Hotels total with three branches in Bandung, one in Yogyakarta, and one in Surabaya.

Amaris Hotel: The global tourism boom has produced new budget hotels that are chic, clean and offer great services.

Regional Tourism Promotion Board (BPPD) BPPD West Java and Bali will Synergize Increase Tourist Arrivals

BANDUNG. - Regional Tourism Promotion Board (BPPD) will sign an agreement with the West Java BPPD Bali in an effort to increase tourist visits to the two regions. The signing will be held in Bali, 24 November 2013 in Bali by Jabar BPPD Chairman Ir. H cecep Rukmana and Chairman BPPD Bali Dr.Ir. Tjok Oka Artha Sukawati Ardhana M.Sc. 

According to Executive Director BPPD Hilwan Jabar Saleh, the signing of this agreement is one way to promote the development of the tourism industry.Both sides agreed to support each other tourism promotion activities and participate in festival events, promotions and exhibitions organized by both parties. 

Moreover, Hilwan said, both parties will mutually encourage and recommend both places as tourist areas to achieve the target tourist market by calling and advised the agent to travel agent of the two places for each set and include both places as part of a travel package designed. 

Mentioned in the agreement, both parties will seek to enhance the role of local media and strengthen communication and participation of tourism information. "Both sides must take advantage of the resources of local media to promote the latest developments of the resources, products and industry of tourism in Bali and West Java. Visit each other or hold a tourism promotion activities at least once a year, '"added Hilwan.