Tourist Attractions and Malls in Jakarta Half-Empty Despite Reopening

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Visitor numbers at tourist attractions and malls in Jakarta are low according to the Head of Jakarta’s Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Cucu Ahmad Kurnia.

The agency’s data shows that many of the malls and tourist attractions across the capital city are recording below 50 percent capacity in visitor numbers.

“The response from the people has not been too high. For example, Ancol recorded 2,600 visitors on the first day of reopening followed by 4,600 visitors on the second day. Whereas Ancol can accommodate up to 20,000 visitors upon reopening,” said Cucu on June 23.

Read also: Jakarta Sights Roar Back to Life After Three-Month Slumber

The Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta received 600 visitors on their first day of reopening.

In the new normal transition, Ragunan Zoo is allowed to host 1,000 people.

Another tourist attraction experiencing similar trends is Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) or Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park.

Around 1,500 people visited TMII on the first day followed by 4,300 visitors the next day.

For TMII, the number of visitors during the early days of reopening is still below their permitted capacity.

Cucu has stated that he will have to wait and see how the visitor numbers fare in the coming days.

Half-empty malls

Malls in Jakarta are also believed to meet well below their 50 percent permitted visitor capacity.

According to Cucu, on average, Jakarta malls are at 30 percent capacity though it picks up during the weekends.

“Malls reach about 30 percent capacity during the weekdays and around 30-40 percent during the weekends. It depends on the mall since people are still adapting before they go and visit,” said Cucu.

Read also: Malls in Jakarta to Reopen on 15 June