Australia downgrades travel advisory to Bali advised in 2002

BALI, Indonesia – In 2002, the Australian government advised its citizens to “reconsider the need to travel” to Bali in Indonesia. It is now advising them to “exercise a high degree of caution,” putting the island at the same level as Thailand and the Philippines.

The move is wholeheartedly welcomed by the Bali Hotels Association (BHA), which has been actively campaigning for such a move for many years.

“This a positive development based on a carefully considered assessment of the level of threat to Australian travelers in Indonesia,” said Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Greg Moriarty, quoted by the country’s national news agency, Antara.

Meanwhile, BHA Chairman Jean-Charles Le Coz said, “I’m happy that our efforts in maintaining safety and security have been recognized internationally, especially by our biggest market.”

He cited specific efforts to assist with security that have been pursued by BHA. These included its 2011 workshops to train staff at its more than 100 member hotels on surveillance detection, as well as founding the Integrated Police Radio Community Bali program that connects BHA members and other tourism stakeholders directly to the police via UHF radio. BHA also held workshops on counter terrorism, disaster risk reduction, and health issues.

Australia leads the pack in inbound travel to Bali, with a market share of more than 26 percent. Meanwhile, arrivals in March 2012 saw a 24 percent year-on-year increase over March 2011. The renewed confidence in the island’s security is sure to boost this already-stellar performance on both leisure and MICE business, said Le Coz.

“Many Australians view Bali as their home away from home. We look forward to welcoming more to our shores this year,” he said.