With the recent construction of a toll connecting Jakarta to Bandung, and cheap international flights from Malaysia, the West Java capital is busier than ever, but not everyone is happy.

The Cikampek - Purwakarta - Padalarang turnpike, better known as "Cipularang", has virtually turned Purwakarta into a ghost town and disrupted the Jakarta-Bandung railway service.

However, Bandung municipality and many of its residents are really thankful for the 146-km road which opened for use in May 2005, since it has given a boost to food, tourism and clothing industries, and indirectly generates hundreds of billions of rupiah in added revenues on weekends alone.

Since the old Puncak-Purwakarta route has been left much quieter, and because of Bandung's reputation as a tourist city, many traditional food vendors have relocated to rest areas next to the new turnpike.

Thirty-four-year-old Indah Dhani, a resident of Pondok Gede, East Jakarta, said Bandung was her birth place and second home. Indah and her family visit Bandung up to four times a month just for mie kocok and lotek, or to browse the "factory outlets" selling surplus export goods and import garments, bags and shoes, at discounted prices.

"There are lots of shopping places in Jakarta, but they're different to the ones in Bandung. It's not that I know places that sell the cheapest things, but it's the atmosphere and the various choices of clothing," said Indah, who has lived in Jakarta for the past eight years.

The mother of two says Bandung is a food and shopping paradise within easy reach (a two hour trip) of Jakarta.

Indah "feels complete" whenever she is on vacation in Bandung with her family.

Bandung is not only famous for its mountain resorts in the north, such as Lembang and Ciwidey, and Pangalengan in the south, but also for its food and fashion, says Indah.

"In short, you don't have to go to as far as Singapore or Malaysia, but everything is available right here."

Jakartans' high mobility, especially on weekends and extended holidays, is noticeable in the number of Jakarta vehicles taking the main exit to Bandung via the Pasteur toll gate.

Data from state toll road operator Jasa Marga shows that on average around 16,000 vehicles enter Bandung on weekdays and more than 22,000 on Saturdays and Sundays.

Bandung is home to at least 30 shopping malls, 423 restaurants and more than 200 factory outlets selling famous international clothing brands such as Esprit, GAP, Bally, Aigner and Guess.

It is also famous for its distribution outlets aka distro, selling locally made products including jeans, T-shirts, bags, shoes and accessories. Distro (numbering around 500 outlets in Bandung alone) mainly cater for the younger generation.

Bandung Tourism Office head Priana Wirasaputra said an average of 40,000 domestic tourists visit Bandung each week, 90 percent of whom come from Jakarta. This number could increase 10-fold on long weekends.

"Visitors from Jakarta always dominate. They are our main guests," Priana said.

The hotel industry has capitalized on these favorable conditions. Data from the tourism office shows a steady and significant increase in hotel occupancies from 1,021,751 guests in 2002 to 2,481,489 in 2008.

According to Priana, Bandung has become a favorite travel destination for Malaysian tourists too, as evidenced by up to 500 Malaysian visitors per day. These tourists often come to Bandung on culinary excursions and to shop at Pasar Baru, the biggest trade center in Bandung.

AirAsia launched a Bandung-Kuala Lumpur route in April 2004, and has flights four times a day, as well as an additional Bandung-Singapore route once a day.

However, the influx has raised protests from some members of the community who feel that city life is no longer as comfortable as it used to be.

A mother of two, Ana Yosida, 36, who lives in the Griya Bandung Indah housing complex says she often advises her relatives to avoid roads near the city center and in the western part of the city, because they would only end up stuck in traffic jams.

"We no longer feel at ease because of the traffic congestion everywhere, especially from cars with *B' license plates," said Ana, referring to vehicles originating from Jakarta.

Ana often chooses to spend the weekend at home watching TV instead of going out.

Head of tourism affairs at the West Java Chamber of Commerce (Kadin), Yachya Machmoed, said traffic congestion would be the death of tourism in Bandung if the municipality and police failed to find a solution.

The introduction of single-lane streets had not reduced congestion, especially on Jl. Dago, Jl. Riau, Jl. Setiabudi, Jl. Pasteur and Jl. Cihampelas, Yachya said.

"We must consider visitors' agendas; how can they divide their time so that they can to enjoy everything the city has to offer, and then relate their experience to others on their return home.

"Don't let them tell others about Bandung's notorious traffic congestion," Yachya said.

The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association's Bandung chapter chairman, Momon Abdurrochman, said because of its traffic jams, visitors did not feel at ease for long when staying in Bandung.

"They usually stay no more than two days because of the constant traffic jams. We should work to change the atmosphere here."

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