In Reply to: garuda flights posted by stormy on Sunday, 5. November 2006 at 09:48 Bali Time:
you read reports like this in The Australian
BALI TOURIST NUMBERS PLUNGING
by Greg Roberts
October 19, 2006
THE number of Australians travelling to Indonesia has halved in the year since 23 people died in the second Bali bombings. New Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show 139,990 Australians visited Indonesia - the vast majority going to Bali for holidays - in the 12 months to August, down from 273,160 in the same period to August last year.
Analysis of monthly figures indicates there is no recovery in sight, with Australians still jittery about visiting Bali since the blasts at Kuta Beach and Jimbaran Bay killed four of their compatriots.
Tourist numbers bounced back after an initial slump following the 2002 terrorist Bali attacks, when 88 Australians were killed.
Indonesia topped the list of overseas holiday destinations for Australians in August last year but had dropped to fifth place 12 months later.
Most of those who travelled to Bali were repeat visitors who had remained loyal to the island.
"The regulars still come but the newcomers and the families don't come any more," said Waywayan Budiarsa, sales director of the Ramada Bintang Hotel in the Balinese town of Tuban.
Australians once accounted for 35 per cent of the hotel's customers. The proportion was now 10per cent, he said.
"After the first bombings it was back to normal six months later, but that has not happened this time," Mr Budiarsa said.
Adelaide-based Venture Holidays managing director Cos Matteo said Indonesian airline Garuda had this month stopped its thrice-weekly flights from South Australia's capital to Bali. Garuda had signalled it would halt flights to Bali from Australia's east coast from next March. "Bali used to be our biggest seller. But now it's eclipsed by places like Thailand and Malaysia," Mr Matteo said.