JP/5/PIJAT

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.