Bali running low on booze
A Reuters report says that a shortage of alcohol in popular tourist location Bali is causing problems, with hotels and bars on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali running out of booze due to an import problem.
The tourism industry is worried that the shortages could impact the number of foreign visitors, said Djinaldi Gosana, executive director of the Bali Hotel Association, with tourism on the predominantly Hindu island of Bali in mostly Muslim Indonesia starting to recover after suicide bombers attacked the island in October 2005, killing 20 people. The attacks came after more than 200 died in nightclub bombings by Islamic militants in 2002.
A trade ministry official said the State-owned firm responsible for importing alcohol for hotels and restaurants had not applied for quotas, which must be renewed every six months and Bali’s Denpasar Post newspaper reported that the shortages followed the discovery of an alcohol smuggling ring using falsified duty stamps.
“Our members are complaining of a shortage of wines and spirits over the past two months and apparently there’s a reorganisation at the customs department after the discovery of a smuggling ring,” Gosana said, adding he was not clear if other parts of Indonesia were also affected.
He said some outlets on the resort island had been forced to close because of the shortage, adding, “It’s an even bigger blow for hotels that offer all-inclusive packages.” “Their reputation is suffering”.
According to government data, tourist arrivals in Bali rose 34 per cent to 781,059 in the first half of 2007 from a year ago.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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