Lombok hotels lay off employees

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Residents on Lombok island are starting to feel the impact of the religious riots which recently swept the area as hotels and other businesses have begun laying off employees due to the drastic drop in tourists.

"The hotels had to dismiss their employees because no domestic or foreign tourists have visited the island since the riots broke out on Jan. 17," West Nusa Tenggara Governor Harun Al Rasyid said on Friday.

Antara reported that about half of the hotels and restaurants in Lombok had to fire some of their employees.

A hotel in the Senggigi beach area with 125 employees reportedly had to let go about 100 of them.

Tourism had become a major source of revenue for the island, which is adjacent to Bali.

Last year over 300,000 tourists visited Lombok. (04)