Bali tourism showing signs of recovery
I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali
With the number of foreign tourist arrivals gradually increasing and hotel average occupancy rate climbing over 40 percent, Bali's tourism industry is showing the first signs of recovery after the devastating drop in tourist numbers caused by last year's terrorist bombings.
Official figures show that in the first half of July, the number of foreign tourists arriving on the island averaged 3,700 people per day -- nearing the pre-bombing level of around 4,000 people per day.
If the trend continues, the island will record a total of 114,700 visiting foreign tourists this month, according to the head of the Bali Tourism Agency I Gde Pitana.
During certain periods this month, according to the head of the Ngurah Rai International Airport Authority, IGM Dhordy, the number of arriving passengers totaled 7,000 people per day, 4,000 of whom were foreign tourists.
"I believe that they (the tourists) have started coming back to Bali," Dhordy said.
This July figure is far higher than the average daily arrival of 2,000 foreign tourists earlier this year or 1,000 people per day in the three month-period following the Oct. 12, 2002, bombing.
The terrorist attack, in which at least 202 people were killed, mostly foreigners, severely crippled the islands' tourism industry, and sent the number of foreign tourist's arriving to a historic low of 794 people on October 29, 2002.
In January 2003 the total number of visiting foreign tourists reached 62,000. The number increased to 67,000 and 72,000 in March and April respectively.
Unfortunately, the outbreak of SARS sent the number of tourist arrivals down again to 53,000 people in April and 48,000 people in May.
The number jumped to 81,000 people, or an average of 2,700 foreign tourists per day, in June.
Moreover, several hotels in Nusa Dua, Kuta, Legian and Ubud have reported promising increases in their occupancy rates.
Currently, the average occupancy rate for three-star hotels in Kuta is around 45 percent to 47 percent, compared to single digit figures right after the bombing, according to the chairman of the Bali Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRI) I Gde Wiratha.
"However, they are having to work very hard to compensate for the losses they suffered in the months after the bombings," Wiratha said.
According to Wiratha, Taiwanese tourists occupied the first spot, followed by Australians and Americans.
"This shows that the Asian market remains promising," he said.
Separately, the marketing communications manager of the five- star Bali Padma hotel in Legian, Sophie Suzylowati, disclosed that the hotel was recording an average occupancy rate of 50 percent with an average room charge of US$75.
"The Australian tourists have gradually returned to the island, and we expect that the Japanese will do the same," she said.
Pitana attributed these signs of recovery to three things. First, the Japanese government in June had downgraded its travel advisory for Bali to the lowest level. Second, WHO had declared the end of SARS outbreak, particularly in Taiwan.
"And third, because the Balinese people have succeeded in proving that the trials of the bombers would not trigger any political and security instability on the island," he said.