TEMPO.CO, Solo - The number of tourists in Solo has almost doubled. In 2022, the number reached 2.5 million tourists, far exceeding the target of 1.3 million as estimated by the Culture and Tourism Agency of Solo.

Head of the Culture and Tourism of Solo, Aryo Widyandoko said that the growth in the number of tourist visits to Solo in 2022 was due to the many events being held in the city, including the wedding of President Joko Widodo's youngest son, Kaesang Pangarep, where it is attended by tens of thousands of people.

The increase in the number of tourist visits was also accompanied by an overflow of guests in hotels as the length of stay of tourists at hotels in Solo has also increased. During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, the length of stay of most tourists in hotels only reached 1.1 days. However, in the last year, the length of stay increased to 1.5 days.

The current year is expected to have more growth. "As for the target length of stay in 2023, the Mayor of Solo (Gibran Rakabuming Raka), is expected the length to reach 2.7 days, and that is what we are pursuing," said Aryo when met by the media crew during the event of Solo Hotel Expo and Tourism Industry at Grand Atrium Solo Paragon Lifedata-style Mall, Wednesday, January 11, 2023.

Aryo hoped that the increasing number in the length of stays in hotels in Solo this year could be achieved, especially with the reopening of several tourist attractions that have gone through revitalization. Such an example of the attraction is the Taru Jurug Animal Park, which is planned to reopen on January 27, 2023. Another attraction is the Pracima Park or Pracima Tuin in the Mangkunegaran Palace complex which will also be opened to the public on January 21.

Meanwhile, the Solo Hotel Expo and Tourism Industry event was held as an effort to revive tourism in the city of Solo after the pandemic. The event will be held until Sunday, January 15, 2023, and to be held until Sunday, January 15, 2023, attended by 20 hoteliers in Solo and its surroundings.

The Operational Director of Solo Paragon Lifedata-style Mall, Budianto Wiharto, said that the event involved all stakeholders that are involved in the tourism sector, from the hoteliers providing accommodation, to government, corporate, and travel agents.

According to him, Solo currently has many new tourist destinations which are the main attraction for tourist visits, such as the Great Sheikh Zayed Mosque of Solo, Pracima Tuin Mangkunegaran, the corridor of Gatot Subroto-Ngarsopuro that can be visited by tourists during their stay in the city of Solo, especially on weekends.

"We gathered hoteliers in Solo so that buyers could choose the tour package offers that are attractive," he said.

During the fifth day of the event, the hoteliers would meet with buyers who needed their accommodation services. This means that the event is not just for exhibition, but also a momentum for hotels and tourism stakeholders to attract as many tourist visits as possible to Solo.

"These hoteliers would provide many programs and packages to offer. So, in this event, there's an agenda where buyers meet with sellers. This would meet them with groups interested in buying their hotel services, and could make a deal directly when the offer is suitable," added Veronica Lahji, to buy their hotel services, and could make a deal directly when the offer is suitable," added Veronica Lahji, who is the chief marketing communication of Solo Paragon Lifedata-style Mall.

The event was also enlivened with talk shows, live cooking, a bartender and fashion show, a hotel performance, a 2023 make-up trend, live music, and a grand prize of one diamond pendant for visitors.

SEPTIA RYANTHIE | IMAJI LASAHIDO (INTERN)

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