ASEAN. fight against child sex tourism

During the Southeast Asian Conference on Child Sex Tourism in Bali, last week ASEAN countries promised greater efforts to free the region from child sex tourism.
As reportesd by the Jakarta Post, over 60,000 children in the region are being exploited in commercial sexual businesses.

Islamic countries in Asia Pacific to form travel association

Islamic countries from the Asia Pacific region have agreed to form an Asia Pacific Islamic Travel and Tours Federation to “safeguard" the interests of Muslim tourists and travel agents.
Representatives from the four founding member countries - Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei together with ASEAN neighbor Singapore - have agreed to its formation at the recent Bumitra Islamic Tourism Forum 2008 in Kuala Lumpur.

Source: eTurboNews; find full article here.

"Terror alert puts cloud over Bali travel cover"

As reported by Clive Dorman, at The Age, "A Travel law specialist has warned that government advice about travel to Indonesia may technically invalidate travel insurance for trips to the holiday island of Bali.
Even though insurers continue to cover travellers to Bali, Tony Cordato, of Sydney's Cordato Partners Tourism Lawyers, believes the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's advice for travel to Bali triggers the exclusion clause in travel insurance policies that disqualifies covering anyone who ignores government warnings.
The department advises that people should 'reconsider their need' to travel to Indonesia, including Bali, 'because of the very high threat of terrorist attack'. It is the second-highest category, a so-called level four warning. Mr Cordato said that while the issue had not been tested in court, 'the conclusion must be that there is no travel insurance coverage for travel to countries where level four travel advisories apply'.
Travel insurers and the Insurance Council of Australia have so far been unwilling to weigh in on the issue. But the industry is already facing a dramatic increase in disputes over travel insurance policies as more Australians, particularly older Australians, travel overseas."

"Airlines black list: Commission adopts new measures against unsafe carriers"

As just stated by the EU Press Room, "Today, the European Commission adopted the fourth update of the Community list of airlines banned in the European Union. This list includes an operating ban of all Indonesian airlines as well as of the Angolan flag carrier, TAAG Angolan airlines, and of Volare Aviation Enterprise from Ukraine. The restrictions previously imposed on Pakistan International Airlines are modified. In addition, airlines from Russia (10) Bulgaria (6) and Moldova (8) have to stop their operations in the European Union on the basis of new measures adopted by these States following consultations with the European Commission."

This Press Release is available in full text.

"Indonesia deplores EU flight ban"

"The Indonesian government is disappointed with a decision by the European Commission to ban all Indonesian airlines from flying to the European Union and has asked a chance to make a defense, an official said Monday.
Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said the decision was unilaterally taken without prior dialogues with the government. 'We consider the EU has acted unfairly and therefore we are very disappointed,' he was quoted by leading news website Detikcom as saying.
The minister made his remarks during a meeting with the International Civil Aviation Organziation (ICAO) on Bali island. 'We do not expect that the process to improve aviation safety in Indonesia will involve the isolation of (our) airlines,' he said at the meeting attended also by ICAO president Roberto Kobeh Gonzales.
Jusman said the government on June 22 asked the EU to give an opportunity to the government to brief EU officials about the actions Indonesia has taken to improve air transportation safety before the EU announced the ban.
The EU reportedly agreed to meet Indonesian transport officials but only in October as the soonest. 'That's another reason why Indonesia is very disappointed,' said Jusman."

(Source: People's Daily Online)

Riots Hit Lombok Holiday Resort

Indonesian troops have been instructed to shoot rioters in a bid to halt the religious riots that have plagued the tourist island in mid-January. Gangs of Muslim youths have attacked Christians, their homes and their property and have tried to seize the ferry terminal at Mataram. Some hotels have put up Muslim prayer mats and pro-Muslim signs to attempt to ward off attackers. The Australian Government has airlifted its tourists from the island and other tourist nationals fled to neighbouring Bali. The unrest in Lombok has spresd to other islands and is causing serious damage to the Indonesian Tourism Industry.

(Originally posted by John Downes)