Tourists Travel To Bali Despite Travel Warnings
from today’s HVS Asia-Pacific Hospitality News:
Bali Island in Indonesia has seen a significant increase in tourist arrivals despite recent travel warnings about possible Islamic militant attacks in the wake of the previous terrorist bombings in 2002 and 2005. Travel advisory upgrades issued by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has not discouraged Australians, who made up more than 15% of Bali’s total international arrivals, to travel to Bali. As general security heightens while the tourism industry launched several marketing campaigns, Bali witnessed a 34% increase in foreign tourist arrivals during the first five months of 2007 as compared to the same period in 2006. Hotel occupancy was recorded between 70% and 90% in July 2007 as compared to the occupancy rate ranging between 50% and 70% in July 2006. It is hoped that the hosting of the Kyoto Protocol meeting in December 2007 would further boost the island’s tourism industry.
