The terrorist blast, which cast its dark shadow over Bali and threatened tourism throughout Indonesia, is still a recent memory and the new Shanghai-Djakarta-Bali air service is operating below expectations. Despite all this, tickets to Bali for the Spring Festival are selling like hot cakes in Shanghai.

Shanghai China Travel Service staff has run out of tickets to Bali and have over 100 tourists waiting. And it?s very much the same story at China Youth Travel Service, which has 80 waiting.

Even the airlines don?t understand why Bali has become so popular with Shanghaiers. ?We thought it would be at least a year before the market recovered after the blast,? said a marketing manager.

Shanghai China Travel Service suggests three reasons for Bali becoming so popular. The island is blessed with a warm climate and is a perfect spot to visit in winter. Few Shanghaiers have been there before and many are keen to visit new and exotic destinations. Some even believe it to be a safer place now the blast has happened, after all they say lightening never strikes twice in the same place.

Japan has also become a popular destination. Shanghai China Travel Service and China Youth Travel Service have both introduced new Five Day Tours to Japan and South Korea. The route is already familiar to Japanese and Korean tourists, but this will be the first time that Chinese tourists have had the opportunity to include a visit to Pusan in the Republic of Korea and a visit to Kyushu by water across the Korean Straits in their itinerary. Another route takes Chinese tourists to Okinawa where they can enjoy the cherry blossom and see whales and dolphins. These tours come with a new accessibility for they are competitively priced at under 6,000 yuan (about US$725).

According to Mr. Wu, a manager with China Youth Travel Service, more and more Shanghaiers now prefer to go to Australia. So far they have 100 tourists booked to visit Australia during the Spring Festival.

(China.org.cn by Wu Nanlan January 11, 2003)