Surakarta Hotels Preparing Raise Hotel Rates

Hotels in Surakarta, central counting to raise hotel room rates. The new tariff comes into effect if the government imposed the basic electricity tariff increase. "The increase in electric base rates will increase operating expenses," said Chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association Soebandono Surakarta.

According Soebandono, electrical energy needs for the hospitality industry is big enough. In addition to lighting, electricity demand is also large enough for building up to meeting the air-conditioner. According to him, the basic electricity rate increase plan is a severe blow to entrepreneurs.

He also believed the prevailing hotel room rate is currently not possible to cover the cost of production if the electricity tariff increases. "We'll be forced to follow," said Subandono. Because profit margins in Surakarta hotelier very thin because of tight competition.

He also regretted the planned increase in electricity tariffs will be done by the government in mid-year. Most hotel owners have annual contracts with several agencies and travel agents to issue fare. "Prices could be raised for their new next year," said Soebandono. Forced, hotelier will lose money until the end of the year.

In fact, most hotel guests actually comes from travel agents and agencies that routinely conduct activities at the hotel. He hoped the government could delay the increase in electric base rates until the end of next year. "So that we can prepare for the 2011 contract price," said Soebandono.

He admitted that he would not yet have figures on the amount of tariff increase. "Waiting for the certainty of the increase in electricity tariff," he said. But he insisted if the percentage increase in hotel room rates equivalent to the percentage increase in electricity tariff.

While the National Economic Development Regional Advisor fur Technische Zusammenarbeit Deutsche Gesellcshaft (GTZ) in Surakarta, Hidayatullah Al Banjari justify if the basic electricity tariff increase would hit the hotelier. He estimated the community would reduce the budget for the tour due to the increased living expenses.

Hotelier steps to increase the tariff to be the only solution even though the potential to reduce the hotel occupancy rate. â € œPemerintah should provide compensation, â €? Hidayatullah said. Such compensation can be a tourism promotion budget is quite frequent.

He also asked the hotel entrepreneurs to start thinking about the concept of energy saving. "Some hotels have started using light lamps for lighting emiting deoda," he said. Besides air circulation design is also quite important to reduce the use of air conditioners that consume a lot of electrical energy.