JP/5/PIJAT
Massage business thrives in Batam
Fadli The Jakarta Post/Batam
Many people are prepared to travel halfway across Jakarta, battling heavy traffic for an hour's massage with a skilled therapist, and, finally, the chance to relax.
On Batam, however, Balinese and Thai massage, as well as reflexology, centers are easy to find, with 40 centers catering for a population of 560,000.
Most massage centers on Batam employ 10 to 30 therapists.
Siswoyo, the owner of the 123 Massage Center in Penuin, Nagoya, said that the massage business in Batam was promising as the industrial island is densely populated. The area of Batam is about 415 square kilometers.
"People feel stressed by the crowds and the complexity of society here. They need a place to relax, but there aren't many recreational areas on Batam. Workers here also have more money to spend than those in other provinces," Siswoyo said.
He said, as tourists from Singapore and Malaysia comprised an ideal target market, he had made a deal with several tour agencies, so that they would promote the 123 center to weekenders. Last week, around 20 tourists from Korea, China and Japan dropped into the center for a massage.
"We recruit therapists from Java, aged between 19 and 27 years old. They are trained for a month by senior therapists." said Siswoyo.
The large number of massage centers on Batam has encouraged an increasing number of locals to work as therapists. But, while the therapists say they are professionals, others claim that a good number of massage centers also offer sex.
Winda, 23, from Surabaya, East Java, who works at the Thai and Bali Massage Center in Nagoya, said, as a therapist, she could earn enough to help out her husband, who had previously been the sole breadwinner of the family.
For a one-and-a-half-hour massage Winda's center charges Rp 70,000 per hour, she gets to keep Rp 9,000. She also receives a monthly salary of Rp 250,000 (US$27.70).
"I suppose I am hoping to get by on tips. I usually get Rp 10,000 to Rp 50,000, more than my cut from the company," said Winda, who is proficient at both Balinese and Thai massage techniques.
According to Winda, most guests come on the weekends, while on weekdays, a therapist can only expect to get one or two clients a day.
"It's my body that actually needs to be massaged on the weekend though, not their's. The parlor opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m. Guests are constantly coming and going all weekend," said Winda.
She said that each therapist was allotted five guests a day, most of them from Singapore or Malaysia
"The tips are mostly good," said Winda.
Winda said that she receives a total of Rp 650,000 a month from the center, but over Rp 1 million a month in tips.
Purnomo, 26, who specializes in reflexology, said he learnt how to apply pressure to specific points on the feet three years ago. He feels that his training paid off as he can live reasonably well on his salary and tips. "My salary is not big, but I have regular guests. They believe that reflexology prevents illnesses," he said.
Besides those working in centers, other therapists are freelance, placing advertisements in the local paper to attract clients.