Batam may face tourist-industry crisis

Batam may face tourist-industry crisis

Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam, Riau

The number of tourists visiting the island of Batam is predicted
to drop off during the next 10 years if attractions are not
developed and local culture promoted, an industry group says.

From 2000 to 2003, Batam recorded significant increases in
tourist arrivals. In 2000, about one million foreign tourists
visited Batam. The number increased to 1.2 million a year later
and rose to about 1.5 million in 2003. The annual arrivals of
domestic tourists stand at about 7 million people on average.

The numbers come second after Bali in term of foreign and
domestic tourist arrivals.

The Batam chapter of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants
Association (PHRI) predicted the drop in tourist arrivals.

Anas, a PHRI member who owns Hotel Novotel in Batam, said the
main reason for a possible slowdown in Batam's tourism industry
was the lack of developed natural resources managed
professionally to attract visitors and the absence of traditional
cultural attractions.

"(Tourists) will soon get fed up with the island's ordinary
scenery. After 2007, I'm certain the number of foreign and
domestic tourists will begin to drop off," he said.

Batam was unlike the popular resort island of Bali, which
offered a myriad of attractions and a rich culture, he said.

"Those coming here (Batam) are usually tourists from
neighboring Singapore, and from my conversations with them, they
only want to see the island, which is naturally beautiful, not
skyscrapers. They usually stay a relatively short period of time
and don't spend much money," Anas said.

Stagnant hotel occupancy rates were an indication tourist
arrivals in Batam were starting to drop, he said. In the past
three years, occupancy rates of the 250-room Hotel Novotel had
decreased 20 percent in the past three years, from between 60
percent and 70 percent occupancy to only 50 percent.

Taxi passengers have also decreased. Wan Samsir, a cab driver
at the Sekupang International Airport, said since 2002 the 300
taxi drivers waiting at the airport would only carry one or two
passengers in a week.

"With this queuing system, we are notified when it's our turn
to carry passengers. Before 2002, every cab driver was sure to
get a good cab full of passengers. Now, we only come twice a week
due to the slow turnover of the queue and the lower number of
passengers," he said.

He used to bring home Rp 3 million (US$350.00) a month but now
it was difficult to even get Rp 1.5 million a month, he said.

Batam tourism office head Raja Supri told The Jakarta Post
the local mayoral administration was aware tourists were staying
for shorter times, an average of two days, and spending less than
US$300.

The office was surveying several beach areas that had the
potential of being developed as natural tourist attractions, he
said.

"We are also trying to promote Malay culture such as kite
competitions and develop Malay dances that would later be
presented to visitors in Batam. There's sure to be funding
problems, but in spite of that we will do our best," he said.

Right now, the only natural tourist attraction is Melur beach
on Galang island, a former refugee camp for Vietnamese
boatpeople.