Balinese tourism and travel damaged, not dead<\/p>\n
M.Ali
\nMBA student
\nNottingham University
\nUnited Kingdom<\/p>\n
News regarding the twin trades of tourism and travel has been
\nvery bleak recently. Just over a year ago, the terrorist attacks
\nin the U.S. caused aftershocks throughout the world from which it
\nis slowly recovering. This year, the series of terrorist attacks
\non Bali have caused a similar damaging effect and have delivered
\namong the worst damaging blows to tourism and travel.<\/p>\n
It is clear that these events have severely wounded tourism in
\nBali. The usual figure of one-and-a-half million annual visitors
\nto Bali have dropped dramatically as a result of the Oct. 12
\nbombings, and many of the island's businesses are struggling to
\nsurvive. Already, efforts are underway to revive interest in
\ntraveling to Bali with \"two-for-one packages\" and even \"you
\ndecide how much you want to pay\" ploys, to try and encourage
\ntourists to return.<\/p>\n
So far, however, the signs have not been good.<\/p>\n
Cathay Pacific and Qantas are two major airlines that have
\nalready cut back on their flights to Bali, and hotel occupancy
\nrates across the island have plummeted to all-time lows with
\nsingle digit percentages of occupancy being recorded. Pictures of
\nBalinese souvenir vendors and boutiques offering massive
\ndiscounts on their wares and of deserted beaches have been
\nflashed around the world, effectively deepening negative feelings
\nabout Bali.<\/p>\n
These observations, of course, paint a very bleak picture for
\nthe future prospects of the island, but they have to be placed
\nwithin the context of the wider scope of the tourism and travel
\nindustry. It must also be realized that it is still very early in
\nthe progress to recovery and revitalization of Bali's tourist
\nindustry. A wider, long-term view is more useful.<\/p>\n
Looking at the wider world of tourism and travel shows that
\ntour providers, travel agents and airlines all around the globe
\nhave been suffering from a major slump over the last couple of
\nyears. A case in point is United Airlines being declared
\nbankrupt.<\/p>\n
Many other sectors of the tourism and travel industry have
\nbeen similarly affected and are being restructured accordingly.<\/p>\n
A recent discussion with a regional representative of the
\nAssociation of British Travel Agents (ABTA) revealed the extent
\nof the problem for the British tourism and travel industry: it is
\nestimated that \"at least ten to fifteen thousand British tour and
\ntravel workers will have lost their jobs before the industry
\nbegins to pick up again.\" This is a downturn that is being
\nexperienced all over the world.<\/p>\n
Egypt, for example, the primary tourist destination of the
\nMiddle East, has suffered huge losses in tourist dollars since
\nSept. 11. American and European travelers have largely been
\navoiding that destination and indeed, many other Islamic nations
\nhave fallen from favor as potential holiday destinations.<\/p>\n
In contrast, this has created a climate of opportunity for
\ndomestic tourist markets, as they run advertising campaigns that
\npromote the idea of \"staying close to home, where it's safe\".
\nHoliday destinations are now somewhat closer to home, and this
\nhas also had a damaging effect on world tourism.<\/p>\n
The World Tourism and Travel Agency has estimated that as many
\nas \"ten million jobs have been lost in tourism worldwide.\" This
\nis another clear indicator of the magnitude and spread of the
\nproblems for tourism and travel.<\/p>\n
Gloom and doom seems to run deep and widespread, and in this
\nkind of climate it becomes essential to restructure, re-plan and
\ndevelop strategies that will help encourage the market to restore
\nits faith in, and consequently rechannel dollars to, places like
\nBali. The random and indiscriminate nature of terrorist attacks
\nsuch as those that hit Bali can both undermine and, ironically,
\nimprove confidence in Bali as a tourist destination.<\/p>\n
Certainly, people will remain concerned about the dangers of
\ntraveling, but we will also retain our need for a holiday and
\nrecognize that the random and indiscriminate nature of terrorism
\nmeans that attacks may happen anywhere in the world. This, then,
\namounts to a recognition that there are dangers wherever we may
\ngo, but also that we cannot allow this to stop us from doing what
\nwe want and need to do.<\/p>\n
Representatives of the ABTA suggest that, \"If we always
\nstopped to think and worry about what we are going to do, we
\nwould never do anything or go anywhere. This will be true for
\nBali too.\"<\/p>\n
This is the reality that we should all face: The damage done
\nto Bali and its peaceful image has been great, but it has
\ncertainly not killed Bali as a tourist destination.<\/p>\n
Presently, it is necessary for those in Bali who make a living
\nfrom the island's tourism to take stock of the difficult times
\nand take into account that they will have to restructure and
\nstreamline their activities. Already, many migrant workers from
\nother parts of Indonesia have been leaving Bali due to
\nthe downturn. In the longer term, however, Bali will rebound and
\nreturn to its prominence as a tourist destination.<\/p>\n
Immediately after the attacks on New York, many Europeans had
\nsecond thoughts about flying to New York, but now most fly there
\nwithout any fear. The same will be true for Bali, but it will
\ntake time.<\/p>\n
Bali, the \"Island of the Gods\", must have faith and patience
\nthat tourism will return to revive the island's economy once
\nagain.<\/p>",
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