BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan – Several hotels in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, have reported full bookings for August 2024, ahead of the Independence Day ceremony in the new national capital Nusantara, according to the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI).
“Reservations of hotel rooms in Balikpapan are surging ahead of the 79th Independence Day ceremony in Nusantara city,” Soegianto, head of the Balikpapan PHRI branch, said on Wednesday.
In a break from tradition, the government has decided to hold the Independence Day ceremony in both Nusantara and the current national capital Jakarta this year.
President Joko Widodo, accompanied by President-elect Prabowo Subianto, will preside over the ceremony in Nusantara, while Vice President Ma’ruf Amin will chair the ceremony in Jakarta with Vice-President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Soegianto said that rooms in most four- and five-star hotels in the city are fully booked.
“VIP rooms mostly have been full-booked, while rooms in two- to three-star hotels are still available,” he informed.
The Religious Affairs Ministry even asked PHRI for assistance in reserving hotel rooms for VIPs for August 2024, he added.
Meanwhile, Zuwaini, the general manager of MaxOne Hotel in Balikpapan, said that besides the Independence Day ceremony participants, most hotel rooms have also been reserved for Nusantara Marathon participants.
The marathon will take place in Nusantara city on August 18, 2024, and will see participation from up to 5 thousand runners.
“Our hotel rooms are reserved not only for the Independence Day ceremony, but also by participants of the Nusantara Marathon,” he added.
