Pricing Bali Out of Its Market

Dear Sir,

BALI is getting too expensive. People are now getting 20 percent less in rupiah against the euro than last year. Thailand is now 50 percent cheaper. The cost of hotels and going out to dinner is crazy. Drinks are up 50 percent in two or three years and now will get even higher.
Taxi drivers asking Rp100.000 for a ride of two minutes and refuse to put on the meter. Stop all the taxis which drive without the meter on and take away their licences.
If you get too greedy and the government doesn’t step in (or even makes it worse) this is what you get. They only think short-term. Put extra tax on liquor and we will get more money. Too bad it is only for one year. Tourists will stay here for shorter times, spend less, and won’t come back.
If you want good tourism for the long term, you give good service for a fair price and people will tell their friends – and they’ll come back.

Yours sincerely

Fred Johnson
Ubud
Tourists Won’t Buy

Dear Sir,

THIS is typical of all governments. They have no idea of what each department is doing. They give with the left hand and then take with the right.
People go to Indonesia to relax and enjoy themselves with a beer, spirits or wine around the pool, at dinner, or just to try something different.
That will now change. Tourists will bring in their duty free allowance and not buy from local business. Wake up Indonesia; you are losing the plot.

Yours sincerely

Peter Sullivan
New South Wales, Australia