As you know, I am in Bali for a few days working on a project to help increase tourism to the place.
Now while there’s some obvious ‘quick fixes’ that can help with their goal … like targeting corporate conferences etc … long term, they don’t want to turn Bali into another Singapore – and to be honest, I don’t blame them, it deserves better.
So today I went out searching for tourists … and despite hotel occupancy rates currently at less than 14% … I did find a few and whilst there was the odd Brit, Chinese, Singaporean, Yank and Aussie walking around – the overwhelming nationality of people holidaying here was Russian.
Now asking people questions when they are on holiday is always difficult because lets be honest, they just want to be left alone – however nearly everyone I talked to was really happy to ‘put up with me’ for a while – even if it meant we communicated via sign language and/or translation books.
So what were the things I found really interesting?
1. It is really difficult to ask questions when the person suddenly decides to take their top off and model a bikini that would put most of the girls in Rio to shame.
2. It’s even more difficult when ‘said ladies’ Neanderthal husband/boyfriend turns up and demands to know ‘what is going on’!
3. While concerned about terrorism, most people generally felt it was pretty safe – even though they tended to stay within the confines of their resort rather than venture out into the typical tourist areas.
4. Many of the Russians staying here are of ‘new money’ [read into that what you will] and see Bali as a place that represents ‘status and achievement’ – both to themselves and the people around them.
5. Almost all the Russians [well, the men] mentioned ‘they know people or have been in situations far scarier than an attack from terrorists’!!!
[Yes, points 4 and 5 may be inherently linked]
So what am I suggesting …
Well nothing really – except that in my few conversations with people today [about 20 individuals] Bali seemed disproportionately attractive to those who have experienced – how shall I say it – a more ‘colourful life’ than that of Mr and Mrs Average … probably because to them, terrorism/violence/crime are all elements they [may have] experienced in their everyday home life – so it’s just not something that causes them adverse concern.
OK … so lets get a sense of proportion here … there is no proof the ‘Russians’ I spoke to today, are in any way connected to crime [and in no way am I generalising that ALL Russians are crooks] … nor am I really suggesting Bali is going to become the new ‘desired home’ for Soviet Crime Lords … it’s just that I was pretty shocked how Russians have become [at least today] the primary tourist in Bali, given they live much further away than the traditional visitor of S.E. Asia, Australia and NZ.
Hahahaha … reading this back, it could qualify as the most ridiculous post I’ve done yet!