| |
Sunday Times October 20th 2002
Asia still on tourist map
EDITED BY SUSAN D'ARCY
British holidaymakers are refusing to be deterred from travelling
to Asia by last weekend’s bomb attack in Bali, according
to tour operators.
Following the explosion in the Sari Club, in the tourist resort
of Kuta, which killed nearly 200 people and injured a further
300, the Foreign Office (020 7008 0232, www.fco.gov.uk/travel)
immediately issued a warning against all travel to Bali. By
Thursday, it had amended this, advising against all travel to
Indonesia, and recommending that all Britons already there should
leave, with those who must stay told to exercise “extreme
caution”.
Tour operators who have clients due to travel to Indonesia have
been offering full refunds, as well as options to postpone travel
or switch to an alternative destination.
STA Travel (020 7361 6262, www.statravel.com)
takes thousands of students away each year, most of them gap-year
travellers. “The majority aren’t cancelling their
trips, they’re just going elsewhere,” it says. “Many
are en route to Australia, so they’re just rerouting to
Singapore and Bangkok as the obvious alternatives.”
The Asia specialist Magic of the Orient (01293 537700, www.magicoftheorient.com)
says that although some holidaymakers now wish to avoid Asia,
most are happy to switch to neighbouring destinations such as
Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, while Kuoni (01306 747001,
www.kuoni.co.uk)
reports that most of its customers are also heading for Thailand,
with honeymooners opting for Indian Ocean destinations such
as the Maldives.
Those looking for a destination outside Asia, but with the same
appeal — culture, temples and beaches — are choosing
Mexico.
|
|
