No new hotel in Manado

JAKARTA (JP): North Sulawesi's Governor E.E. Mangindaan said that Manado, capital of the province, is temporary closed to any new hotel investment as there are already many star-rated hotels in operation.

He said there were five hotels under construction in Manado.

"So, temporarily there will be no more licenses for new hotels," Antara quoted Mangindaan as saying in Manado Saturday.

North Sulawesi expects a tourism boom following the expansion of international facilities of Manado's Sam Ratulangi airport and Bitung seaport late last year.

Several star-rated hotels, including those managed by international hotel chains, operate in Manado including Hotel Likupang, Hotel Santika, and Sedona, Radisson.

Official data shows there are 11 star-rated hotels with 787 rooms and 104 non-star-rated hotels with 1,264 rooms in North Sulawesi.

Mangindaan said the five new hotels currently under construction would be able to accommodate tourists until 2000, when Manado needs 2,000 hotel rooms. (icn)