JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – The Jakarta Tourism and Culture Agency offers a free tour to the domestic and foreign tourists using five units of new double-decker tour buses, aiming to boost the Jakarta tourism.

The Jakarta provincial government had Monday (Feb 24) launched the operation of the double-decker tour buses, to operate at 9 am to 9 pm Jakarta time for six days a week.

The air-conditioned tour buses will serve the routes of Hotel Indonesia to National Monument, passing through the Istiqlal mosque, the Presidential Palace, and City Hall.

Jakarta government also plans to add 15 new buses to serve the city tour, with the destination of the Dutch colonial surrounding of Kota Tua in North Jakarta and Blok M in South Jakarta.

The buses, equipped with GPS, audio system and television screen, will carry 60 passengers. Each bus would make 10 trips a day regardless the Jakarta’s traffic jam.

However the tourism agencies warn that some opportunities would take the advantage of free ride for the Jakarta commuters. Therefore the government is urged to focus on the passenger safety. (oktofani@yosefardi.biz)