Tourism Growth Drives Developers to Build Integrated Commercial Zones in Batam
Batam — The surge in tourist arrivals to Batam is reshaping commercial property development strategies in this industrial city. Developers are no longer simply constructing conventional shop houses, but are instead creating integrated zones designed as 24-hour activity centres.
Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that foreign tourist arrivals (wisman) to Batam in the fourth quarter of 2025 exceeded 460,000 visits, with a stable monthly average between 140,000–160,000 tourists. This trend reinforces Batam’s position as a tourism and trading hub directly connected to Singapore and Malaysia.
Ardiwinata, Head of the Culture and Tourism Department of Batam City, described the stable flow of visitors as a positive signal for the local economy. The increased tourist traffic is seen as opening opportunities for growth in the retail, culinary, and lifestyle sectors.
Recognising this trend, Tana Group is developing AURUM in the Bengkong area, introducing a Sobiz (Shop, Office, and Business) commercial product. The project is designed with a 24/7 Urban Hub concept, integrating business, recreation, and lifestyle functions within a single zone.
Francesca, Director of Tana Group, stated that changing consumer patterns are driving demand for more integrated business spaces. She noted that visitors now come not only to conduct transactions but also to seek experiences and social interaction at a single destination.
“Business spaces today must be able to create internal traffic and extend the duration of visits. This is the foundation of our planning for this zone,” she said in a press statement on Friday (27 February 2026).
Unlike conventional shop houses that rely on surrounding foot traffic, Sobiz is developed based on comprehensive area planning. The first phase of the project has been absorbed by the market within several months, whilst the second phase, titled Sobiz Festive, features a Neo Retro Style theme.
At the centre of the zone is an artificial lake covering approximately 2 hectares (Aurum Qua) equipped with the AURUM Dancing Fountain attraction and the Arumi Iconic Art installation. The developer has also added thematic pedestrian facilities, dining areas, a 1.3-kilometre jogging track, open spaces, and MICE facilities to encourage all-day activity.
This strategy reflects a new trend in Batam’s commercial property industry: ecosystem-based zone development. Through this approach, developers hope to create a new destination that relies not only on tourists but also on local communities.
From an investment perspective, the integrated zone concept is regarded as capable of maintaining property liquidity and prospects for value appreciation, in line with the region’s economic growth. Tana Group has also engaged international landscape consultants and installation specialists to strengthen the project’s positioning in the upper-middle market segment.
Currently, construction progress on AURUM has reached approximately 20 per cent. The developer aims for the project to become one of the new growth catalysts in Bengkong, an area previously known mainly as a residential zone and industrial support area.
With continuously growing tourist flows and strong regional connectivity, Batam is entering a new phase of economic transformation, shifting from a manufacturing base towards an integrated trading and tourism city. Amid this trend, the development of integrated commercial zones is projected to become a new engine driving property values and local economic activity.