Bali's tourism leaders fight back, say terrorism cannot triumph
( 2002-10-19 11:08 ) (7 )

Leaders of Bali's hard-hit tourism industry are to fight back with a recovery plan after the Bali bombing, saying the terrorists cannot be allowed to triumph.

An exodus which followed the October 12 terrorist attack and a fall in arrivals threaten to sink the island's economy which largely depends on tourism.

But business owners and government officials are emerging from the shock and are bonding together to draw up a plan.

"It almost seems there is a collective spirit to say 'We're not giving in to this barbaric intimidation'," said Renee Chew, co-founder and Bali-based director of Wakatobi Dive Resort.

"This is the world's top tourist destination and it cannot be that a bunch of terrorists is going to destroy everything. This equation is unfair and the people do not want to accept it," she told AFP in an interview.

Chew said this fighting spirit "is great because if we have to stay together collectively and put our energy together, every little bit will make a difference until we put Bali back on its feet."

Chew said efforts are now focused on helping the grieving relatives of the victims deal with the tragedy.

But initial steps have been taken to "get all the stakeholders and industry leaders together and collectively brainstorm an action plan for Bali's recovery," she said.

About 2.5 million foreign and domestic tourists visit Bali annually to soak up the sun or surf on its beaches and revel in its rich Hindu cultural heritage.

Tourism, mostly generated in Bali, accounts for 3.0 percent of Indonesia's gross domestic product and generates around 20 billion dollars in economic activity.

The island, famed for its pristine beaches and world-class surfing had until the bomb blast been relatively insulated from political and religious upheavals that rocked Indonesia in recent years.