Travel and Leisure magazine names Bali as the world’s favourite holiday island following a recent poll of its readership.
Greenford, London, UK, August 13, 2009 -- The recognition comes as great news for the Indonesian tourism industry which once again is facing a crisis following terrorist attacks. The latest of course being the bombings of the JW Marriot and Ritz Carlton hotels in Jakarta last month.

Bali topped the list of Island destinations nominated which included the Galapagos and Maui.

The head of the Bali Tourism Board, Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya, commented that he hoped the first place would be further evidence that Bali and Indonesia holidays would remain a successful economic earner for this part of South East Asia.

Many people believe that the latest bombings are unlikely to signal the catastrophic decline in holidays to Bali and Indonesia that the original bombing in 2002 produced though initial figures do show that many have cancelled their flights and holidays to Bali. "Although some hotels in Bali had reported cancellations of foreign tourist arrivals, this could not yet be taken as reflecting the whole situation in the industry," Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) chairman Ben Sukma said. It is being reported that many luxury hotels throughout Indonesia have seen significant occupancy decline, presumably as prospective guests are fearful of similar attacks, whilst the backpacking fraternity, the Australian youth and other such traditional tourists to the area seem to be unperturbed.