Tourism in Bali returns to normal after riots

Tourism in Bali returns to normal after riots

JAKARTA (JP): Business in Bali has gradually returned to
normal after Megawati Soekarnoputri supporters went on the
rampage on the resort island to protest her defeat in the
presidential race.

Head of Bali's tourism supervision office Nyoman Suamba said
on Friday the riot had not been "too damaging" for the tourist
industry. He said the riots had disturbed the transportation
activities, but otherwise had not affected tourists.

"The situation has returned to normal. Some tour programs and
handicraft centers are open as usual. I hope people outside Bali
don't have a bad image about Bali because of the Thursday
incident," he told The Jakarta Post.

He said the chaotic situation had calmed down soon after the
announcement on Thursday afternoon of Megawati's election to the
vice presidency.

Managing director of Merdeka Tour & Travels in Sanur, Frans S
Sidharta, said his tour programs had run as usual on Friday. He
said dozens of foreign tourists had joined trips to several
tourist sites, including the most favorite tour program
destination Kintamani, which is about a one and a half hour drive
from Sanur.

"My guests said they were not afraid to travel around Bali
because they believe they are not the target of the protesters'
anger," he said.

He said several of his city tour groups were stranded on
Thursday in Ubud. He said he found accommodation for them at
nearby hotels before returning them on Friday morning to their
hotels.

"I paid for their stay in Ubud. It may be a financial loss.
But I like to see it as a promotion strategy rather than a
financial burden," he added.

Bali was paralyzed on Thursday as thousands of Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) supporters launched
mass riots in several areas around Denpasar. They blocked the
roads and mobbed several buildings, including the Golkar branch
office, and set fire to dozens of cars.

Suamba said many arriving tourists were stranded at the
airport due to the roadblocks. He said some tourists were forced
to find accommodation at nearby hotels for the night because they
could not go to the hotels where they had made reservations.

"But all tourists had left the airport at 10 p.m. on Thursday.
I have not received any report of flight cancellations made on
Thursday because of the riots."

He emphasized that no hotels or tourist facilities were
damaged during the Thursday incident.

Reservation officer Emmy from Santika Beach in Kuta Tuban,
said hotels in her area were not affected by the Thursday
incident because the riots were concentrated in Denpasar and
nearby areas.

She said her hotel, about 30 kilometers away from the airport,
was one of several hotels which provided accommodation to the
stranded tourists.

"We had about 40 rooms sold to stranded tourists, in addition
to about 30 rooms we had for reservations. Guests in the 40 rooms
had already checked out this morning to go to their hotels," she
said.

Communications director with Sheraton hotels in Nusa Dua, Lisa
Halim, said some of her guests were accommodated on Thursday
night in hotels near the airport because road access to hotels
was blocked by barricades or felled trees.

She said guests had arrived at the hotel and that some
tourists had started on Friday morning their holiday activities.

"However, we advised them to concentrate their activities in
the Nusa Dua area to avoid being trapped in traffic jams in
several areas where people are still busy removing the chopped
trees from the roads," she said, adding that the roads were
expected to be cleared and ready for use by the afternoon.

Lisa said her hotel had sent faxes and e-mail to Sheraton
chains and travel agents overseas to inform them about the easing
tension in Bali.

"We also regularly inform our guests here about the
development in the area. Clear information is important to avoid
people from being misinformed and losing interest in Bali and
Indonesia."

Bali is the most popular destination in Indonesia. Some
683,083 foreigners visited Bali in the first half of the year,
reflecting a 32.3 percent increase over the same period last
year. (cst)