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