History
In the late 1960s Jl. Jaksa started to become internationally known among backpackers though the International Youth Hostel Federation (IYHF). In 1968, Nathanael Lawalata the secretary general of the Association of Indonesian Youth Hostels, converted his house into a hotel to establish the Wisma Delima. This was not only first hotel in Jl Jaksa but also the only hotel in Jakarta that was internationally listed by the IYHF.
The street subsequently developed more hostels and became mentioned in many popular travel guide books and publications including the Lonely Planet. Jl Jaksa had become a transit point to explore the rest of Indonesia and was officially determined as a tourism area by the Jakarta city council.
In 1993, the Jakarta Tourism Office stated 57,201 foreign tourists had visited hotels and hostels in the street and the surrounding area, including 29,676 Europeans, 9,309 Australians, 4,215 Americans and 649 Africans. The average length of stay of foreign tourists at Jalan Jaksa was three days.
On August 5–August 7, 1994, the first annual Jaksa street festival was held. The street festival aimed to increase the popularity of street and simultaneously celebrate the culture of indigenous Jakarta residents, known as the Betawi people.
The 1998 monetary crisis, the 2002 Bali bombings, the 2004 Jakarta embassy bombing and the decision in 2005 to reduce the standard tourist visa from 60 to 30 days have reduced the number of budget tourist numbers at Jalan Jaksa. Many backpackers decided to stay directly in the other parts of Indonesia instead of spending 10% of their 30 day visa in Jakarta.
The street has also been the site of locals intimidating tourists during sweeps in the early 2000s .
As of 2007 Jl Jaksa is still the main budget accommodation and low budget entertainment street in Jakarta. It still remains popular among locals, expat English teachers and backpackers. While it is nowhere near as touristy, modern or developed as its counterparts in Kuta, Bali or the Khaosan Road in Bangkok, the street still manages to offer a selection of services helpful to the average budget tourist including travel agencies, a bookstore, money changers, laundries, pubs, etc.{
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