Good News From Indonesia

Few months ago, Lion Air informed us that they’d take over (or join – can’t remember) one Brisbane-based airline, SkyWorld Air, to start serving Australian routes. Only yesterday, I found in one New Zealand-based website, that it is confirmed that Indonesian giant, PT Rajawali Corp would acquire Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast Hotel.

Sheraton Mirage has long been known as the best beachside hotel in Australia; it has 293 rooms and only 25 minutes drive from airport.

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Travel Warning: Book Early!

Bucking the current worldwide downturn in travel, Australians continue to flock to Bali seeking value for money. Australian travelers to Bali during the first two months of 2009 totaled 48,068 a 34.64% increase over totals for the same period in 2008 (35,701).According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, overseas travel by Australians has shrunk by 2% since August 2008. Indonesia and Bali, however, have bucked this downward trend with travel booming despite unfavorable travel warnings issued from Department of Foreign Affairs. Underlining the migration of travelers to a destination identified for “value for money,” Australian holidaymakers coming to Indonesia have overtaken figures for those traveling to the U.S.A., Britain and Thailand. Indonesia has become the 2nd most popular holiday destination after New Zealand for Australians traveling abroad.

Quoted in The Age, the Australian marketing coordinator for Garuda Indonesia explained the surge in Bali travel by commenting, “it’s because it’s affordable… many people who might have gone further afield will go to Bali instead.”

The Age article also underlined how Garuda, is adding flights between Australia and Bali while airlines are curtailing service in other areas of the world. That article also reports that bookstores have run out of travel guides to Indonesia, “even though the Government warns us to reconsider your need to travel there.”

Source: Balidiscovery.com

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