Bali’s Rumbling Volcano Leaves Tourist Industry Gasping for Air
But Ubud, a popular destination about 20 miles southwest of the volcano, has seen a sharp
drop in visitors, as has much of the rest of Bali, Indonesia’s top tourism spot.
7, 2017
UBUD, Indonesia — His taxi was parked nearby, but Wayan Yanjun was sitting on the sidewalk along the main street in Ubud on the resort island of Bali.
The people who will be affected most by this situation are the people with the lowest income." Some Balinese compare the current downturn to the
aftermath of the 2002 Bali bombing, when Islamic extremists blew up a popular nightclub in Kuta and killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.
Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati, head of Bali’s hotel and restaurant association, said
that the island’s hotel occupancy rate is now at 20 percent, compared with 60 percent this time last year.
While nearly all of Bali’s resort hotels and tourist attractions are well outside the danger zone, uncertainty over future eruptions
and possible airport closings has prompted many travelers to cancel planned trips to Bali or avoid it altogether.