Bali in favour …

Last year, 204,473 Australians visited Bali, up from 137,000 in 2006. Only the Japanese outstrip us in their enthusiasm for the beautiful island. If that kind of growth continues, then 2008 will beat the 2004 record of 267,500.

But while Australian tourists have confidence in Bali, our Government does not and this is causing angst among a group of Australians involved in the tourism industry there.

The Little Bali Hotel and Resort Company argues it is time for the Government to reconsider its grade-four warning for Bali, especially in the light of DFAT’s downgrade of its Kenya warning from a grade four “reconsider your need to travel” advisory to a grade three “[exercise a] high degree of caution” recommendation.

The group’s founding member, Adrian Forsyth, says much work and resources have gone into keeping Bali’s key tourist areas safe.

“Local authorities regularly sweep all local residential areas to ensure that all people living in the area have the right to be there and police posts and vehicle inspection points have been erected on many streets entering the Kuta/Legian areas,” says Forsyth, who manages the Bali Garden Hotel in Tuban and the Samsara Hotel and Spa in Kuta.

“The Australian Government attitude continues to amaze us all,” he says.

“Just last December, Bali hosted the United Nations conference on climate change, which involved government ministers and heads of state from around the world - including the new Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.

“If it is safe enough for the PM to come here, why does DFAT continue to warn Australians against travelling to Bali?”

… and flavour

One Australian doing her bit to lure tourists to Bali and beyond is Maeve O’Meara. The energetic writer, television presenter and founder of Gourmet Safaris has added a Bali “girls-only” trip to her company’s schedule this year.

“It is such an incredible destination,” says O’Meara. The inaugural Bali Gorgeous Safari, from May 18 to 23, will be at the Warwick Ibah Resort in Ubud, owned by expat Asri Kerthyasa, who has lived in Bali for 30 years after marrying a Balinese prince.

O’Meara, who operates numerous gourmet trips around Sydney as well as taking international trips for both men and women, decided three years ago there was a gap in the market for female-only tours.

Vietnam was her first destination. It struck a chord, she says, as five-star resorts, shopping and spa treatments tend to appeal to women.

“In that time we have had only one man on these trips; brave soul that he was.

“And while he enjoyed it, we all agreed it was best to keep the Gorgeous Safaris exclusively female. Men tend not to want to try the 15th shoe shop looking for that perfect pair of shoes.”

As well as Bali, Gourmet Safaris has three more women-only trips to Vietnam and will launch into Thailand on June 8-15.

News published by The Sydney Morning Herald - www.smh.com.au