Crisis hits Sanur hotels

SANUR: The occupancy rate in many hotels in Sanur has dropped considerably with some reporting a rate as low as 60 percent, a change widely attributed to the global financial crisis, a Sanur-based foundation says.

Head of the Sanur Development Foundation (YPS), Ida Bagus Gede Sidharta Putra, said Sanur hotels generally experienced occupancy rates of between 80 and 100 percent during the New Year holiday season.

He said the fall had been mainly in the number of European tourists.

"We are really feeling the impact of the global financial crisis now, as shown by the reduction in occupancy rate at a time that is considered a peak season," he said Thursday.

He said several hotels did have occupancy rates of between 80 and 90 percent and expressed hope that hotels whose rates were below 70 percent did not suffer a further dip. --JP