Crowds flock to Yogyakarta for `Waisak' holiday

YOGYAKARTA: Thousands of foreign and domestic visitors flocked to Yogyakarta during the Waisak holiday over the weekend, with hotels reporting 100 percent occupancy and train and air traffic at capacity.

Chairman of the Yogyakarta branch of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), Istidjab, said the foreign guests were mostly from Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, France and the Netherlands.

The domestic guests were from Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Makassar and Semarang, he added.

Despite the high occupancy rate, he said his organization had not raised hotel rates, but had only reduced discounts for guests.

Tourism Board head Deddy Pranowo Eryanto said not all visitors visiting Yogyakarta stayed in hotels.

Some of them, he added, preferred village excursiond and stayed in villagers' homes. - JP