Tour offices do not fear Bali backlash

Darwin travel operators are not worried about a boycott of Bali following Schapelle Corby's conviction for drug trafficking.

Top End travel shops, which rely on Bali holidays for a large slice of their business, said they had minimal feedback from travellers about the case.

But one NT call centre has received abusive phone calls following Friday's guilty verdict.

Golden Bali and Global Travel, which runs a call centre at Howard Springs, received three calls over the weekend.

One abusive call was made to the company's Adelaide office.

Managing director Les Williams said he had received more phone calls of support than of concern.

``We did expect to get a few more calls,'' he said.

``But I'm relatively hopeful that if we were going to get a lot of flak it would have happened by now.''

Ninety per cent of the company's Top End business is for Bali holidays.

Mr Williams said the company had not had any cancellations as a result of the guilty verdict.

``We suffered hugely after the Bali bombings but I have the feeling this will simmer down pretty quickly,'' he said.

``I think it's more of a knee-jerk reaction.'' Value Travel manager Carmel Tuohy said she had not heard any negative comments about Bali from clients.

``I haven't had a single comment,'' she said.

``A few clients have talked to us about whether they need to take more precautions when locking bags but that was not just about travel to Bali.''

Ms Williams said a quarter of Value Travel's business came from Bali bookings.

She urged travellers to consider the livelihoods of Balinese people and not shun the destination because of the case.

``Bali people have been through enough and it's not their fault,'' she said.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Tue, 31 May 2005
Source: Northern Territory News (Australia)
Author: Eric Tlozek
Copyright: 2005 Northern Territory News
Contact: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au
Website: http://ntnews.news.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/283