Bali Recovers Slowly

Tourism confidence in returning to the island of Bali seemed to wane last month as the latest figures show. Bali will recover but it will take some time and in the meantime the Balinese are doing it hard.

Total foreign arrivals to Bali in May 2006 totalled 101,776 a figure that lagged -12.72% behind 116,615 near-record number of arrivals in the same month one year before. Those hoping to see arrival numbers notch another month of improving totals in May were no doubt disappointed; May arrivals slipped statistically as compared to April when month-on-month arrivals were down only -10.65% according to Bali Discovery.

At one time Australian visitors to the island were among the highest statistically speaking but the May stats show a 58% drop whereas Japanese, always constant visitors to Bali, showed an increase of 21.21%. Taiwan, whose residents are another constant visitor to Bali has remained steady in their figures. Full demographics can be found here.

So, what will it take to get more visitors to the island?. That is the golden question. Everybody has varying ideas. Terrorism still remains the greatest deterrent for visitors wishing to visit Bali.