MEMBERS of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) Jogjakarta chapter are irked by higher ticket prices for Borobudur Temple and its two sister attractions.
Starting this month, entry to the country’s highest-priced attraction will cost Rp142,500 (US$14.70), up from Rp135,000. While the published price remains at US$20, the selling price to the trade is derived from an exclusive agreement between the Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko Temple Park Management and ASITA Jogjakarta, which is pegged to the rupiah exchange rate published by the finance ministry at the start of the year.
ASITA Jogjakarta chapter chairman, Edwin Ismedi Himna, noted: “Our members are afraid that Jogjakarta will lose its competitive advantage to other destinations if the price continues to increase.”
He also pointed out that since tour operators had published their brochures in November, groundhandlers now had to bear the difference.
Marintur Indonesia executive director, Ismail Ali, said: “If you multiply the amount by the number of tourists in groups, it becomes quite substantial.”
He added with the entrance fee rising over the last few years, the trade may have to sell the Borobudur as an optional tour if this continued.
Panorama Destination managing director, Raka Ramayana, said: “(We) wish the management had notified us way ahead of the increase so that we could have incorporated it into our package pricing.”
However, Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko Temple Park Management’s director of marketing, Agus Canny, said: “The rupiah weakened this year, and therefore the price in rupiah became higher. Besides, contracting periods vary between markets, so there is never a good time.”
The company intends to distribute its tickets through the Abacus platform and offer tiered pricing according to sales volume. Agus said tickets would be available online for both B2B and B2C, and travel consultants around the world will be able to access prices in rupiah.
Read more in the ATF Daily
