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Language barrier aside, Jakarta still a place to shop

The Jakarta city government’s plan to transform certain areas into shopping havens for tourists, including the Casablanca area in South Jakarta, may hit the wall if shopping attendants do not improve their English proficiency

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Fri, November 2, 2012

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Language barrier aside, Jakarta still a place to shop

T

he Jakarta city government’s plan to transform certain areas into shopping havens for tourists, including the Casablanca area in South Jakarta, may hit the wall if shopping attendants do not improve their English proficiency.

The latest Globe Shopper Index released by the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and Switzerland-based Global Blue this week says Jakarta ranks midway to the top among a total of 35 shopping destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, with its solid reputation for affordability.

The index, which was made available to the press on Monday, ranked Indonesia at 17 with a score of 46 out of 100, only a few points behind Mumbai and above Osaka. Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai made the top three. Jakarta stands out on affordability, ranking fourth and beating out Bangalore but still below Ho Chi Minh City and Dhaka.

The assessment of 35 Asia-Pacific cities this year is new. The index has assessed 33 European cities for years, with London topping the list this year.

The scoring is done from data collected from official government sources, price checkers and travel sources such as Lonely Planet and Expedia, between January and February.

The indexing results, which can be seen at www.globeshopperindex.com, highlight weak foreign language skills and the inconvenient trip from the airport to the city which put Jakarta so far down on the list.

Jakarta Tourism Agency chief Arie Budhiman admitted that the language barrier was the biggest hindrance to improving the capital’s shopping tourism reputation.

“Most of our shopping attendants cannot speak English so they find it hard to communicate with foreigners,” Arie told The Jakarta Post over the phone on Tuesday.

He said that the agency had provided training, including in languages, for 60 shopkeepers each year to improve their service. That is the best the agency can do considering a limited budget and the many tourism sectors it handles.

Arie stressed that providing the employees with sufficient skills was not the agency’s job. “It’s the businesses job to provide customers with excellent service.”

Handaka Santosa, head of the Indonesian Association of Shopping Centers (APPBI), said that he hoped the city administration would help businesses by stipulating recruitment criteria for shop attendants, including language skills.

“Jakarta has a lot to offer and is widely known for selling goods less expensively than other cities in Asia. The low quality of shop staffers can drive the tourists away, and that’s where the government can help.”

Both Arie and Handaka, however, said that they did not see access from the airport to shopping centers as a core issue.

Handaka said that there were many means to transport tourists from the airports to commercial center including taxi cabs “that can drive you anywhere”.

Arie applauded the index, saying that the fact Jakarta was included on the list at all showed that the city was regarded as a notable shopping destination.

He added that the annual Jakarta Great Sale, with malls offering huge discounts between June and July to celebrate the capital’s anniversary, had played a great part in building this reputation.

“We expect to reach the top 10 within five years,” he said.

According to Arie, hospitality would be the city’s main draw, besides low prices.

The website echoes this sentiment: “Jakarta’s steamy streets and vibrant nightlife give the city its buzz. But, it is the friendly character of the Javanese people that will leave the biggest impression on shoppers.” (aml)

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