#BoycottBali bad sign for tourism

#BoycottBali bad sign for tourism

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop has seemingly spurred interest in the social media backlash against travelling to Bali as two Australians convicted of drug trafficking remain on death row in the country.

While #Boycott Bali is currently trending on Twitter, Bishop said in a radio interview that Australians might start choosing to holiday elsewhere if Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are executed, in a bid to show allegiance against capital punishment of the pair.

“I think the Australian people will demonstrate their deep disapproval of this action, including by making decisions about where they wish to holiday,” Bishop speaking on 3AW radio on Friday said.

Following the comments, Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir told AAP he was doubtful Bishop had made the tourism comments.

“I doubt a foreign minister from a friendly country and who is respected in the region made a statement like that,” Nasir said, as reported by SMH.

“If she said she advised Australians not to sell drugs in Indonesia, I would support her.”

Various news sites also reported authorities in Indonesia were finalising plans to move the pair to a prison island off Java, but Garuda Indonesia on Friday were quick to advise the airline is not involved in the transfers.

According to a report in the SMH, High Court judge Michael Kirby also predicted holiday travel to Bali may be affected with Australians possibly looking at alternative destinations including Fiji.

Statistics show over a million Australians visited Indonesia in 2013-14, and made up 12.4% of foreigners to Indonesia between January and October 2014.

If Bishop and Kirby’s predictions are correct, Indonesia and in particular Bali could suffer from a decline in expected tourism revenue.

 

According to a report in The Age, Melbourne singer David Franciosa has chosen to boycott Bali by cancelling “lucrative” corporate events that were slated to be held in a hotel in the country in August.

“How can I visit a country that’s going to murder our own citizens?” Franciosa said, the paper reported.

“It’s not just tourism, but people need to reconsider doing business with this country,” he said. “It’s about human rights. Our voices might be heard louder together.”

Although #BoycottBali is currently trending on Twitter and gaining interest across media streams, Travel Weekly has attempted to contact various Bali specialists to learn if there has been any impact to travel cancellations but were unable to receive comment in time of publishing.

Image source: International Business Times

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

    Latest comments
    1. Agreed AUDSIEtraveller that isn’t stopping me from going there in July.
      Do the crime and kill the slime.
      These people were planing to bring 8 kg of Heroin back to Oz
      If the Australian government is so serious about saving these people then why not negotiate with the Indonesian government the same way the indos are negotiating the release of the maids in UAE.

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