Obama 'good for tourism'

Andra Wisnu, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar | Fri, 11/07/2008 10:52 AM  

Citing Obama's four-year stay in Menteng, Jakarta, and his political party affiliation, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama carries the hope for Bali's tourist industry that his election will bring more visitors to the island. 

Head of Bali Tourism Board Ngurah Wijaya said Barry's election -- Obama's nickname when he lived in Jakarta -- would make Indonesia more well-known among the U.S. and other countries' citizens. 

"Now that he is elected, maybe more people will want to visit Indonesia -- including Bali -- just to see the country where he grew up," Wijaya said Thursday.

Obama lived four years in Menteng with his U.S. mother, Ann Durham, and Indonesian stepfather, Lolo Soetoro, during his childhood. 

He was sent to Hawaii to live with his grandparents in 1971, eventually graduating from Columbia University and Harvard Law School before becoming a Junior Senator from Illinois and President-elect. 

In his book, Dreams from My Father, Obama describes his childhood in Indonesia as "one long adventure, the bounty of a young boy's life". 

He recalled being troubled by the poverty around him, "the empty look on the faces of farmers the year the rains never came", and "the desperation of the disabled beggars who came to the family's door". 

Wijaya invoked Obama's experience in Indonesia, saying his affiliation with the Democratic Party might have been influenced by his stay in the country. 

"And I'm glad that a Democrat has been elected, because they are usually more open to the outside world, which is evident by Obama's call for more dialogue as opposed to Bush and his Republican Party's shoot-first-ask-questions-later attitude," he said. 

"It's finally nice to have someone who knows what this country is really like." 

Head of Executive Bali Hotel Association Djinaldi Gosana hoped Obama's election would shift U.S. foreign policy to Indonesia's favor. 

"Such as the travel warning that was issued after the Bali bombings -- we hope his election would not have such a warning stretch out as long as it did during Bush's term," Djinaldi said in Denpasar, as quoted by Antara. 

Djinaldi further urged the Indonesian government to intensify its tourism campaign in the United States, saying Obama's election and his stay in the country had presented a great opportunity to introduce Indonesia. 

Secretary General of the Association of Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Perry Markus agreed that Obama's election would be good for tourism. 

Perry hoped that Obama's election could alleviate the effects of the U.S.-led global financial crisis. 

"I think the politicking should be over now and it is time we focused on the real issue which is the financial crisis," he said. 

"I hope that when Obama gets to the White House, he'll create real change and help us get through this tough time."