Batam tourism eyes recovery

BATAM, Riau: Batam's battered tourist industry is betting on the return of Singaporean tourists after the World Health Organization (WHO) removed the neighboring country from its list of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-affected areas.

"Batam cannot be separated from Singapore," said Urmy Sungkar, the Batam chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Union, on Monday. "I am sure that with the removal of Singapore from the WHO list of SARS-affected areas, it will help Batam's tourist sector recover."

WHO removed Singapore from the list after the country showed no new SARS cases within a 20-day period. SARS killed 31 people and infected 206 others in Singapore.

Located just 15 minutes from Singapore, Batam's tourist industry took a hit from the SARS outbreak as Singaporeans were reluctant to travel.

Trizno Tarmoezi, a manager at the Banyan Tree tourist resort on the neighboring island of Bintan, said the resort laid off 22 of its 212 employees because of the tourist slump.

He expressed confidence that the removal of Singapore from the WHO list would improve Batam's tourist industry, but added that recovery would take time. -- Antara