Situated less than an hour’s ferry ride away, the island was a possible destination for Singaporeans looking to indulge in their now-forbidden activity, Batam Tourism Agency head Ardiwinata told Teras Batam, an Indonesian language news portal.
“If the Singaporean government introduces strict policies, their citizens have alternatives to enjoy them, one of which is Batam. As long as it doesn’t violate our regulations, they can choose Batam,” Ardiwinata said on Monday.
He compared the vape ban to previous Singapore regulations that had benefited Batam, such as the closure of public golf courses.
The city state has been shutting down the sprawling greens amid a land crunch, with the last public 18-hole golf course ceasing operations last year. Since then, Batam has become a favourite destination for golfers, according to Ardiwinata.
“Batam has increasing attractions, not only golf. There are many new destinations, eateries and Islamic religious tourism is also flourishing,” Ardiwinata said on Monday, as quoted in The Jakarta Post newspaper. “The Singaporean players do not come for golf only, they also bring their families.”
From January to June, Batam welcomed 738,186 foreign tourists, data from the Riau Islands Central Statistics Agency showed. More than 430,000 of those were Singaporeans, making them the biggest group, followed by Malaysians at just over 220,000.
