Occupancy rate of hotels edges up

Occupancy rate of hotels edges up

AMBON, Maluku: The occupancy rate of hotels in the Maluku capital
of Ambon has shown significant increase since the lifting of the
state of civil emergency in July 2003, a hotelier has said.

"Ever since the government lifted the emergency status,
hotels' occupancy rates have edged up from 30 percent to 60
percent," Thenny J Barlola, manager of Manise Hotel, said on
Friday.

Following the improvement of security in Ambon and in Maluku
province as a whole, he said, hoteliers had been busy renovating
their hotels, which were damaged during the sectarian clashes,
and in improving their facilities and services for guests.

Thenny said the renovations and improvements were being
undertaken to welcome domestic and foreign guests when Ambon
hosts a national conference of governors at the end of February.

"The conference will also be attended by 23 envoys of friendly
countries with missions in Jakarta," he said, adding that the
city's economy had also begun to pick up. -- Antara