Dinner’s Conversation

                                                                                                            

"writen from the imagination of a boy about his nation tourismand his nation future”

“Selamat datang di Stasiun Kereta Api Tidar Magelang, silahkan cek barang bawaan anda sebelum meninggalkan kereta, jangan sampai tertinggal di dalam kereta”. I take my step out the local train, which take me from the Yogyakarta airport. I take my steps slowly in the station corridor, when suddenly somebody calls my name. “Hey Mike, over here!,” I try to find that voice in the  crowd of people in the exit door. Then I find that man which is call me, he is Indonesian people wearing green casual t-shirt with newsboy cap in his head.  “ Selamat siang, Rud, nice to meet you again”, “ Selamat siang Mike, nice to meet you too, how is your trip? “ he ask me about my trip. “Well, awesome, it’s absolutely better than before, your nation seems had lot of improvement”. “Yeah, lot of changes in this decade, I will tell you later, come on lets go to my home, it’s looked like that you need a rest” said Rudi while he guide my into his car.   

Rudi bring me into his house in Tirtowulung village, a tourism village for foreigners like me. In Rudi’s house we have a dinner with his family. Rudi is my college friend in Bern. He and his family forced out of Indonesia during the revolution around three decades ago. Now Rudi is a young entrepreneur in tourism business, he manages a big travel agent for foreigners. He also helps his village to be developed to be tourism village. This trip is my third trip to Indonesia. My first trip is in around 2010’s when I was a kid, I was visited Bali that time. My second trip is twelve years ago, after my college graduation Rudi invited me to go to Indonesia, I was went to Yogyakarta and Bali that time.  Now in my third trip there are so many changes, if I compare with my last trip to Indonesia.

            “So, how is Scotland Mike? Scotland now is independence country isn’t it? ” Rudi ask a question for me. “ Yeah, It’s okay we have our independence in 2041, but you know we still have lot dependence to the kingdom “. After that Rudi give his opinion about today’s world situation, for example about the technology development, economical and Political crisis in democratic country, such as USA and some Europe countries. Rudi said that the dynamic world situation give lot of effect to Indonesia.  One of the effect is the revolution in 2023, it give lot impact for Indonesian such as Instability of security, political crisis, economical crisis, and social crisis. Fortunately Indonesia can get up again and become better nation only fifteen years after the revolution. 

            “Well, it’s like the world situation effect our country. You know in the past there is nobody expects that Scotland can get our freedom. Honestly I am also not expected that Indonesia can be a nice country. It’s my third trip to Indonesia and I think it’s the best trip. This morning when I was in the airport, I had a problem with my bag. Fortunately the airport officer has excellent services, he worked hard to find my bag and he succeed to find my bag.  The train is also comfortable, it’s not like train in Europe but it was excited, I was found some of unique behaviour of Indonesian people”. “Yes I think so. I don’t know how is the way of Indonesia to be like this, because I was in Bern, escaping from the revolution chaos. But from the story I get from my friends. The revolution has given the change of Indonesians paradigm.  Our leader give us education and good country development plan, even there are still weakness but its Indonesia now”

            “So, how is your business? I think you are have a great success here. “ I ask Rudi about his business. Rudi look like thinking for a while before he answers my question.  “My business emm, Yes be like this, I think my travel agent has a good progress, but it still needs lot of improvement “. “ How much is your company profit for the last year? “I ask Rudi again. “ Last year, it’s around 4 billion Rupiah. It’s not the biggest one. Another travel agent can get up to 6 billion for a year” “ So it’s looked like that the tourism business in Indonesia have been competitive one ? “ .“ Well Mike, the competition actually is tight. But each travel agent has their own market target, therefore the competition is only with he travel agent which have same market target. For example; my company have set our market target is international tourist, there are another company which set their market target is domestic tourist. The market target is also implies to the package that we are offering to the tourist.”

            Rudi explain about his business work,. He tells me that today tourist have been more varieties. Each tourist can be has different needs and wants, their trip purpose also can be different each other. It’s make the tourism entrepreneur like Rudi must be creative and innovative.  Rudi said that now tourist not only looks for traditional art and culture. Now they are trying to live in the local society with its local norms and values.  This is a solution to make both of the tourists and society respects each other, so the tourism activities not make bad image for the society. The urban culture also has been developing to be one of interesting attraction.

            The quality of the tourism destination in Indonesia also has been improved. Rudi said that now the tourism destination have a supervisor organization which review the quality of attraction, accommodation, services, etc. So the destination can get clear information to maintain and improve their quality.

Nowadays tourism Destination in Indonesia must have responsibility to the environmental, it’s called “Green Tourism Area “or GTA. This is a concept of green tourism activities. For example is the trash on the tourism activities must be recycled. There is also a regulation to reduce the use of plastic bag. If tourist wants to buy something they must have their own bag.  So the tourism activities in the area must consider and aware of the environment.

In the transportation sectors, Indonesia have been developed many mass transportation, such as train, plane, and ship. There are some train company that operate train in Indonesia. Each train company have own categories of train service. There are; Regional Intercity Train, it’s connects cities in a regional area. Trans Regional Train, its train that connect regional area. Commuter train and City train that operated in the city area only.  Air transportation in Indonesia also has been developed. There are five international airlines in Indonesia. Its help Indonesia gain many international tourists, beside that also help the mobility of Indonesian people.

“ Well, it’s very good at least, it’s much better than when I was visit Bali thirty years ago. It was very crowded with cars and people. Therefore in that time Indonesian still lazy isn’t it ? Hahaha “. “ Haha, yes that right it was our culture honestly.  Even lazy people are still can be find, but believe me now there must more Indonesian which professional with their work.” Rudi reply my opinion. “Professional people like you ? “. Rudi laughed hear me answer. “ No, Mike I am not professional, you know sometimes my work isn’t good enough.” ´” Hey, Rud don’t be like that, I know your work. My partner always tells me that they pleased with your work, their customers always had a good service when they visit Indonesia Especially customers from Rusia and Finland“. Rudi just smile hear that, and he asked me to continue our dinner”.

It’s very delicious, did your wife cooked this? “. Rudi answer my question “ Yes, Nisa cooked the tahu kupat “.  “Please, try this, this is tape ketan, you will like this “ Rudi’s wife ask me to try a kind of desert.  “oh, thanks, So how is about the progress of your business ? “ “Yes , just like I said before, the tourist who come to Indonesia is significantly increased, they are also more loyal and also had more critics to us, because there are usually had come to Indonesia before. The Competition also has been more tight, both in local and international competition has more strong competitor. You know there are some Thailand, Singapore, Australia Company which invest their money in our tourism sector. Actually it’s does’t matter for me, because we can get stronger when we face strong rival “

“My travel agent now has representative office in some foreign countries, such as; Seville, St. Petersburg, Bangkok, and you must be already known we also have a plan to open representative in Glasgow.  We had given big support from the government to open in the foreign countries. Usually we have partnership with the embassy and Indonesian Tourism Council “ “ So What is the tourism council? Isn’t your government tools?”   

“Indonesian now also has made a council of tourism, it’s independent organization which report their work to President. The task of this council is to make a promotion of Indonesia in Foreign Countries, and also to  give advice to the government about tourism regulation.  The council consist of 13 person, and I also one of them ““ Really ?  Hell yeah that cool, my friend is a great man in his country”. “Not be Like that, Mike, it’s a hard job you know” “ Yes, I think  so, and I know you can, who is the only one which can get “A” mark in Professor Trapatolli class ? “ We laughed together after I said that. After that our conversation is about our funny stories in the college.

   “By the way, should we get on the business now? ‘ “Ah, Mike just be relax, tomorrow we still have time. Let’s go outside I want tell more stories about Indonesia in the past time. You will absolutely surprise. I am missed Indonesia when I was a child Mike, You know sometimes enjoyable things will miss if we got too serious with our job.  Let’s see the moonlight under that tree”. “Okay Rud, let’s enjoy the night and feel allright”