Kolom Budaya

Seiring dengan luasnya wilayah Indonesia, negara ini ada budaya yang beragam. Jakarta, ibu kota Indonesia serta pusat politik dan ekonomi nasional, merupakan bauran budaya-budaya lokal tersebut. Mulai dari masa penjajahan, waktu kota ini dikenal sebagai Batavia, orang berdatangan dari segala penjuru Nusantara ke kota megapolitan ini demi memenuhi kebutuhan hidup. Akibatnya, Jakarta saat ini memiliki penduduk yang hampir berjumlah sepuluh juta orang (angka resmi). Jarak yang terlalu jauh dari daerah asal dan Jakarta membuat budaya-budaya bawaan perlahan memudar, terutama untuk keluarga-keluarga yang sudah selama beberapa generasi tinggal di Jakarta. Tetapi kehidupan mereka 'diperkaya' dengan budaya perkotaan yang khas.

  • New Lifestyles & Trends: What Car Do Indonesian Consumers Want?

    Indonesians love the multipurpose vehicle (MPV), known as "people carriers", as these vehicles are bigger and taller than the family car. Indonesians enjoy taking trips with the family (and/or invite some friends) and therefore a big car is required. The MPV can carry up to seven passengers and thus meets this request. Car manufacturers are aware of high MPV demand and therefore continue to launch new (and better) models. With functionality in check, manufacturers now particularly focus on improving the design of the MPV to entice Indonesian consumers.

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  • The Life of an Expat in Jakarta: App-Based Transport Services

    Foreigners who live in Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta are well aware of the horrible traffic situation. The lack of sufficient infrastructure development in combination with high car sales in recent years as well as the ever-growing population of Jakarta have resulted in complete standstills in many parts of the city, particularly on weekdays. To cover a relatively small distance in a car or taxi it can take hours, a loss of valuable time. Fortunately, there is a solution to these traffic jams.

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  • Islam & Indonesian Culture: Impact of Idul Fitri on the Economy

    Next week Indonesia's financial and stock markets are closed for Idul Fitri (also known as Lebaran or Eid al-Fitr), the celebrations that mark the end of the holy Islamic fasting month (Ramadan). As usual, during the Ramadan month (that started in early June) business activities in Indonesia start to slow and this slowdown will reach its "peak" during the Idul Fitri holiday, a national holiday (from Monday 4 July to Friday 8 July) when some 17.6 million Indonesians who live and work in the bigger cities will return to their places of origin for a couple of days (a tradition called mudik).

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  • Tour de Flores Cycling Race: Opportunity to Boost Tourism in Indonesia

    In Indonesia media are currently not focused on the Giro d'Italia or the upcoming Tour de France but rather on the Tour de Flores, the first ever cycling race as well as the first ever international sporting event that is organized on the island of Flores in the province of East Nusa Tenggara. Between 18 and 23 May 2016, 160 competitors from 16 countries participate in the Tour de Flores competing for IDR 1 billion (approx. USD $75,000) in prize money over a 743-kilometer track (in five stages) across the island's spectacular landscape.

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