I didn't quite know what to expect when I checked in for the Singapore Airlines flight to Bali last Sunday, but I certainly didn't expect a full flight.

The Bali-bound was full with mostly Europeans, Australians and a handful of Asians. All looked like they were ready for a good time, some with the golf bags in tow, others with their surfboards. They all look like hardened travellers.

At the airport, smiling faces greeted arrivals as always. Tour guides held signs with names of their clients. Hotel representatives had their signboards up in anticipation.

It seemed hard to believe that just three weeks ago, a series of bomb blasts had once again rocked this popular resort destination, at two of its top tourists spots, Kuta and Jimbaran.

An English couple on the flight were on their honeymoon. "We had made our plans and we decided to go ahead although family and friends were telling us to cancel," said the man. "We have bombs going off in London too."

It is only when you are on the streets that you see the impact. I was on my way to the Alila Manggis in Candidasa. We passed Sanur. Usually busy streets were empty of tourists and many shops and restaurants were either closed or empty.

Village life though continues as normal. It's October, the month of ceremonies in Bali. We passed by temples and ceremonies as Balinese continued their traditions the way they have for thousands of years.

Arriving at Alila Manggis, I was selfishly expecting to have the whole resort to myself. But it was running at over 60 percent occupancy. Lying around the pool were young English, Australian and European couples.

I was the only Asian guest. It seems that of Alila's main markets, only the Japanese are staying away en masse, as they are from the whole island. The Japanese are a sensitive group and it will take strong evidence that the government is stepping up security measures for them to return.

I am aware though that Alila Manggis is not your average mass resort hotel in Bali. Its clients are well-travelled folks who know Bali well. In fact, the boutique resort in east Bali has probably picked up business which may otherwise have stayed in the Kutas and Jimbarans of the island.

I also know the flight I was on is only one of hundreds of services a week and goodness knows how the loads are faring on most of them.

There are two schools of thought prevailing in Bali. One says the impact will be short-lived and that business should recover by mid-November. Another is more pessimistic, saying that the reality is worse than is being admitted. Somewhere in between lies the truth, I suspect, but I understand the need to be optimistic and talk things up – it is a natural human instinct.

There is an air of resignation and resolve among the Balinese people I spoke to. Their only hope is recovery will take place sooner than later.

The islanders have already weathered more than two years of pain, trying to make ends meet. They cannot afford another long stretch of reduced income. There are bills to pay and children to feed.

They are weary, you can tell,

"We need to work together at the village level to improve our own security," said one man. "We cannot just rely on our government. Every village must be more vigilant about reporting strangers in their midst. We cannot afford a third bomb."

At Alila, I watched a wedding party from England celebrate the happy occasion. The wedding had taken place at Alila Ubud and guests had moved to Manggis for the after-wedding party.

As they popped champagne bottles, I found myself wishing and hoping the same thing for the couple and Bali – a happy ending.

No place deserves that more than Bali.  


The SHY Report
A regular column on news, trends and issues in the hospitality industry by one of Asia's most respected travel editors and commentators, Yeoh Siew Hoon.

Siew Hoon, who has covered the tourism industry in Asia/Pacific for the past 20 years, runs SHY Ventures Pte Ltd. Her company's mission is "Content, Communication, Connection".

She is a writer, speaker, facilitator, trainer and events producer. She is also an author, having published "Around Asia In 1 Hr: Tales of Condoms, Chillies & Curries". Her motto is ‘free to do, and be'.

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