Tourists flock to Bali despite new travel warnings

By Sambit Mohanty
Reuters
Wednesday, July 18, 2007; 3:29 AM

JIMBARAN, Indonesia (Reuters) -- Bali, the lush Indonesian island famous for its sun-kissed beaches, is drawing tourists in droves, and travel warnings that Islamic militants might strike again has done little to dampen the spirit.
Almost five years after 202 people were killed in the bombing of a Bali nightclub, tourists are back enjoying the island's nightlife and soaking up the sun on Bali's palm-fringed beaches.



"That was a sad event but Bali is too beautiful to resist. The place is bouncing back," said 23-year-old Australian Josh Donnelly as he walked past the now razed Sari Club, which was blown up in the 2002 bombing.
After the attack, Bali suffered a dramatic slump in tourism and locals such as taxi driver Gede Widiada found they could barely make ends meet.
"I have been selling my wife's jewellery in the past four years to run my family. But my income now is much better," said the taxi driver as he waited for tourists outside a resort.
Like Widiada, many shops, restaurants, and hotels on this island are finally seeing their fortunes revived.
Dubbed the "Island of Gods" for its myriad Hindu temples and religious rituals, Bali suffered another blow in 2005 when suicide bombers blew themselves up at three restaurants, killing 20 people.
The attacks in 2002 and 2005, aimed at Western targets, killed a total of 92 Australians.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued an upgraded travel advisory on July 8, warning Australians that terrorists were actively planning attacks, including on Bali.
But despite these warnings, Australians who make up more than 15 percent of the total foreign tourist arrivals in Bali, are flocking to one of their favorite destinations.
"I am not afraid of coming back to Bali. You could die in a road accident tomorrow," said Donnelly.
Indonesian police say the security situation in the country at the moment is favorable.