Batam tourism eyes recovery

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