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JAKARTA, INDONESIA, November 19, 2001: In a bid to sway tourists to come to Indonesia, national carrier Garuda Indonesia said it plans to turn Bali into its next hub for international flights. Bali is the country’s most popular beach resort, and the only Hindu majority state in this Muslim-majority country. Garuda director of operations Rudy A. Hardono said the plan to make the shift to Denpasar, Bali, is of absolute necessity, noting that tourists are reluctant to disembark in Jakarta due to security concerns. Tourist arrivals to Indonesia have been down since the start of the regional economic crisis in 1997. But a recent wave of anti-American protests in Indonesia in the wake of the U.S.-led offensive against Afghanistan, have further damaged the country’s tourism industry. An estimated 1.2 million international tourists have reportedly canceled their planned trips to the archipelago. From Denpasar, Garuda will eventually service 21 international routes to Japan, Australia and Europe, Hardono added.

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