- Indonesia’s Leading English News Website, Direct Daily from the Island of Bali.
Bali Will Remain Favorite Destination for Australians
Bali Will Remain Favorite Destination for Australians
DENPASAR ~
Bali will remain among the favorite tourist destinations for Australians because Bali and Australia have had an emotional bond for long, a local tourism observer said.
“Australia’s appeal to its citizens to boycott Bali is an emotional call that will only have a temporary effect. It (the emotion) will return to normal again in stages,” tourism observer Ketut Sudiarta of the Denpasar Warmadewa University (Unwar) stated on Wednesday.
He added that Bali’s tourism market will not be disturbed significantly with the Australian government’s call to boycott it. Australian tourists will not be influenced by the plan to execute two drug convicts on death row from their country.
The two convicts have been moved from Bali to Nusakambangan Island in Cilacap district, Central Java.
Sudiarta further noted that Bali’s tourism market will continue to attract Australian tourists as they would enjoy the resort island’s natural beauty, especially its exotic beaches.
“We can see that a majority of foreign tourists visiting Bali continue to be Australians,” he remarked.
Although Australia has urged its citizens to boycott traveling to Bali, its citizens continue to visit the famous Indonesian resort island.
Sudiarta also pointed out that Bali should increase its tourism promotional activities to restore the sector not because of the upcoming execution of the Australian drug convicts on death row, but because of the need for such promotions consistently.
The same statement is also said by Chairman of execution of the the Indonesian Tours & Travel Agencies (ASITA) Bali Ketut Ardana who believes that the execution will not affect tourist arrivals, especially from Australia.
“I am sure that the Australians who visit Bali are repeat tourists (frequent visitors to Bali), so they will not be concerned about the issue,” Ketut Ardana said.
According to Ardana, Australian tourists considered Bali as a second home since the island is located close to the country.
Responding to the Australian government’s reaction, Ardana stated that the Australian government wants to protect its citizens.
Similarly, the issue of boycott will not have a significant effect on tourist arrivals.
“In Australia, there is a rumor about the boycott, but the country’s political opponents also support the execution. There are both pros and cons,” he noted.
According to data revealed by the Central Bureau of Statistics, 991,923 Australian tourists visited Bali, or an increase of 20 percent, as compared to the number of tourists recorded last year. Meanwhile, in January 2015, Bali recorded 85,059 tourist arrivals from Australia.
14 Comments
You are mistaken- Australians are simply outraged by the lack of mercy shown to the reformed men on death row – who I might add have proven to be hardworking and helpful to others in the fight against drugs by running many programs within the prison in the last 10 years. “People can change”. Majority of Australians will NOT be coming to holiday in a country that has murdered our citizens! Majority of us will wipe our hands of your country! You have the opportunity to make things right! Have mercy!
I think you might find that Australians feel so strongly about this that many will never visit at all or never return.
This situation has become much bigger than Chan and Sukamaryn. The insults, and treatment of Australia by Indonesian citizens, students and your government make us feel very very unsafe.
The comment today from an Indonesian Minister that they would release a tsunami of refugees is really not helpful and just whips up thr hatred.
I won’t return and would not let my family visit either. Very scary!!!
This whole thing has gotten out of control and as a member of the public I’m appalled and traumatized by it. It feels like a reality TV show gone wrong, where the contestants are ultimately going to be put to death. You as an observer can only sit and helplessly watch this tragedy unfold. It just doesn’t feel good and i cannot believe that Indonesia cannot show any mercy. It isn’t about drugs, it isn’t about being human, it is purely a sick power and political game.
I cannot speak for others, but I can honestly say that my eyes have been opened. What at one stage looked like a potential holiday destination in my books, is now a place that I’d much rather avoid. It simply wouldn’t feel right to go there – I wouldn’t want to see the smug, self-righteous faces of people that purport to be good people but in reality are the worst hypocrites out there.
Most Australians do not want or do not support the silly idea of a boycott! It beggars belief that PM Abbott and Foreign Minister Bishop have called for one. It will not be supported as it is an outlandish idea! They do not possess the diplomatic skills required to communicate with foreign governments particular in defending these two criminal and career drug smugglers. They need to understand that Indonesia is not a colony of Australia and that they are a sovereign nation that has established laws on their books.
The Australian Government has NEVER called for a boycott of Bali. This is a story that has been spread by media within Indonesia. However I have to be honest with you. Because Australians care deeply for the fate of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran I do feel Australians will find it difficult to visit Bali or Indonesia again just as anyone would find it hard to revisit the place where someone you cared about had been murdered or killed.
I’m not sure where you get your information but 100% of Australian parliamentarians, from all parties, voted in Parliament for the motion to support Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran and urge President Widodo to consider their appeal for clemency and to show mercy by converting their death sentence to a life-time prison sentence. Thank you.
The writer has made an error in saying:
“In Australia, there is a rumor about the boycott, but the country’s political opponents also support the execution. There are both pros and cons,” he noted.
The ‘country’s political opponents’ do not support the execution, neither party supports the execution. I presume she is talking about the death penalty or has there been an error in translation? Australia formally abolished the death penalty and it was last used in Australia in 1967.
The govt did not ‘urge its citizens to boycott traveling to Bali.’ The minister pointed out that it could affect where Australians choose to travel, which is true.
Who believe this ??
Tourism withouth Australians,Brazilians, UKs, France and spanish will plunge….will die
Yes Killers indonesian you will die due your acts
Does ‘Breach of Peace’ know Andrew Chan was 21, Myuran Sukumaran 23 when they were convicted?!!
“Criminal and career drug smugglers” – they lived at home with their parents and had never been involved in crime before…
I frequent Bali as much as possible, it is a beautiful place with beautiful people and they have the right to determine their own laws. Travellers to Bali are given plenty of warning about the consequences of bringing illegal drugs into the country and if they choose not to heed these warning then they are also choosing to accept the consequences. what about all the lives lost from the drugs these people are trafficking
Sudiarta is right. Maybe a short term hiccup only.
It took a comparatively short time for tourism recovery after the bombings.
Malaysia and Singapore have executed Australians with no adverse tourism effect.
There’s a misconception about Australian tourism to Bali. We are the biggest group (around 26%), but this also means 74+% ARE NOT.
Around 50% are from Asian countries which have the death penalty.
Even if there were to be a drop back in our numbers, tourism will still flourish.
Shorty, totally disagree with you. The Bali bombings were conducted by criminals, these executions are being conducted by the Indonesian government…. Big difference!
The only Australian I know who has be executed overseas was Van Nguyen in Singapore in 2005. I think you would find most Australian’s are as appalled by his death as by these mass murders being carried out in Indonesia.
Dave Fletcher, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran and the other members of ‘the bali nine’ DID NOT bring drugs into Indonesia!! Under the UN code of human rights to which Indonesia is a signatory the DEATH PENALTY can only be applied to those convicted of intentional murder.
Brazil is already appealing to the UN for charges to be laid against Indonesian officials, including the President, for ‘crimes against humanity’ for the execution of a Brazilian citizen in the first round of executions.