China’s tourism boom prompts fears that Bali is being sold cheap

Australians have flocked to Bali for decades, drawn by the luxurious accommodation, cheap food and beer and the distinctive cultural experience. Many feel something approaching a sense of ownership of the idyllic island.

But we are far from the only people who enjoy Bali’s charms, and the type of tourists travelling to Bali is changing rapidly.

The emergence of so-called “zero-dollar” Chinese tourism is beginning to reshape the market in Bali, and local tourist groups, as well as the Chinese consul on the island, are concerned that dodgy operators and business practices are cutting locals out of a share of the profits from shopping, while also risking the safety of Chinese visitors.

According to statistics from the Bali Tourism Promotion Board, Australia is no longer the number one source for tourists to Bali. For the first time, that honour now belongs to China.

In 2017, 1.09 million Aussies visited Bali, down from 1.14 million in 2016. In the same period, the number of Chinese visitors leapt from 987,000 to 1.39 million.

 

Source: https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/china-s-tourism-boom-prompts-fears-that-bali-is-being-sold-cheap-20180813-p4zx5m.html