Australians begin returning to Bali<\/p>\n
Associated Press, Sydney, Australia<\/p>\n
Five months after two terrorist bombs killed 202 people on Bali,
\nAustralian travelers are returning to the Indonesian holiday
\nisland, a travel company said Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Eighty-nine Australians died in the Oct. 12 blasts. The
\nattacks also devastated the island's tourism industry, which was
\nlargely supported by Japanese and Australians.<\/p>\n
Travel agency Flight Center Ltd. said Tuesday that young
\nAustralian tourists were showing renewed interest in Bali, with
\ninquiries about travel there rising 50 percent during the past
\ntwo months.<\/p>\n
"The interest showed in Bali right now indicates to us that
\nthe island is poised to regain its pre-Oct. 12 appeal within
\nmonths," said Flight Center general manager Sue Rennick.<\/p>\n
The resurgence comes despite Canberra's refusal to lift travel
\nwarnings advising Australians to avoid going to Indonesia except
\non urgent business.<\/p>\n
Rennick said recent Indonesian tourism figures showed the
\nnumber of overseas visitors arriving in Bali slumped from 5,500
\nto 700 a day immediately after the bombings.<\/p>\n
The figure has risen to 2,000 a day in recent weeks, and was
\nexpected to reach 3,000 by June, she said.<\/p>\n
Flight Center also said Indonesia's Garuda Airlines and
\nAustralian national carrier Qantas, the two major airlines
\nservicing the island, would both significantly increase their
\nflights to the region within weeks.<\/p>\n
In the past two decades, Bali has recast itself from a sleepy,
\noffbeat island favored by backpackers and surfers to a tourist
\nhaven for honeymooners, college kids and middle class families.
\nThe tourists come for the beaches, nightlife and the temples
\ndotting the predominantly Hindu island.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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