Aussie travel warnings

Aussie travel warnings

Once bitten by their failure to include Bali in travel warnings ahead of the Oct. 12, 2002, nightclub bombings at Kuta Beach, Australian security officials are determined to be everything but twice shy.

Having received notice from an eavesdropping national ally of a potential terrorist attack against upmarket hotels in Indonesia -- particularly those of the Hilton brand -- authorities upgraded tourist warnings for the second time in 24 hours. Telling Australians to keep clear of Western hotels across Indonesia, and urging those not on urgent business to depart the archipelago or to defer traveling there, the Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, said: "This is credible information. We wouldn't be passing it on unless we were particularly concerned."

Even so, the efficacy of such warnings needs examination. Now so common in Indonesia, many Australian expatriates regard them as irritants. Lured by the prospect of an exotic, relatively inexpensive holiday, some Australians calculate their own odds and press on regardless. And Hilton hotels in Jakarta and Bali chose not to pass on this warning to Australian guests, citing a lack of specifics and the need not to generate fear.

The same warnings issued now have a more emphatic effect, which helps explain why hotel operators in tourism destinations are reluctant to spread the word. Because security analysts must necessarily engage in a lot of second-guessing, the simplest first step is for people to make up their own minds about where they should and should not travel. And that requires the best and most up-to-date information available. -- The Sydney Morning Herald