Indonesia: Hotel occupancy on island falls from 70 to 15 per cent
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is coming under increased pressure to update its advice for the island of Bali, some seven months after the terror attack that killed more than 200 people on the streets of Denpasar.
As reported by News From Abroad in recent days, tourist organisations on the Indonesian island have been clamouring for the ban to be lifted, as well as advice against travel from Governments of countries including the US, Canada and Australia.
Bookings have fallen dramatically in recent months – one recent report suggests hotel occupancy has fallen from more than 70 per cent to around 15 per cent. Five-star hotels have reportedly slashed their prices, with some rooms available for as little as £40 per night.
Now the director of the Bali Tourism Authority, I Gede Pitana, has stated that all advice for Indonesia should be much more specific and should not include Bali: “Compared with before the bomb, security on Bali is very tight.” The FCO has not commented, and the advice for Indonesia remains unchanged.
