JAKARTA, Jan 30 — Tourism industry operators say they are facing difficulty in marketing Jakarta tourism packages, Indonesian news agency ANTARA reported.

“Frankly speaking, we get confused and stressed trying to sell Jakarta tourism packages this year,” Rudiana, chairman of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) for Jakarta Chapter, said Wednesday.

Rudiana said despite having relatively good facilities in Jakarta, traffic woes and floods in the city have constrained efforts to promote tour packages.

Five tourist buses due to begin operations in February are expected to be unable to run due to heavy traffic congestions.

“The breakthrough in procuring five tourist buses for operating in February was good, but in such traffic conditions, they cannot be operated maximally,” Rudiana said.

Rudiana, who is also Wita Tour sales marketing director, said Jakarta has great potential to be developed as a Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Exhibition (MICE) destination.

“Yet, infrastructure and facilities continue to remain the main factors that will play an important role in Jakarta’s tourism development,” he said.

“Existing facilities in Jakarta can be utilised fully only when other supporting facilities are functioning well,” he added.

Rudiana called on all relevant parties especially the government to draw up strategic plans to deal with the issue. — Bernama