The US government recently lifted its travel warning for Indonesia, saying the security climate in the country no longer warrants such a warning.

Balinese tourism operators say the time has come for Australia to follow suit.

Australians are flocking to the resort island in droves, despite the Australian government maintaining its travel advisory warning tourists against visiting Indonesia.

The US government recently lifted its travel warning for Indonesia, saying the security climate in the country no longer warrants such a warning.

Balinese tourism operators say the time has come for Australia to follow suit.

Kathleen Mitchinson, Charlotte Allin and James Manning have not been seen since they went to explore the waters off Komodo national park. Two other divers, one French, one Swedish, are also missing.

According to diving experts, the area where they were last spotted is among the most unpredictable and dangerous in the tropics, with fast currents capable of carrying divers far away from their boats.

Hundreds of Islamic militants have been convicted and imprisoned as part of efforts by local authorities to weaken the regional network Jemaah Islamiyah, blamed for at least four deadly suicide bombings in Indonesia since 2002.

The last one was carried out on Bali island in late 2005, killing 20 people.

U.S. Ambassador to Jakarta Cameron Hume said Sunday the warning was lifted because of “improvements made by Indonesia in its current security situation.”

Riad Maison Bleue in Fez, Morocco and Kuta Seaview Hotel in Bali were singled out by travel site boo.com as two of the globe’s best.

Commended as a “romantic” spa featuring “spectacular Arab architecture and rejuvenating, age-old spa treatments”, the Riad Maison received the thumbs up for its orange blossom water massages and satin banquettes.

And that meant some tourists had their trips well and truly disrupted. With bus drivers unable to drive their empty-tanked buses, some travelers got stranded while others were ferried around in smaller cars that still had some gas.

Bali Tourism officials were quite concerned–especially as it’s supposed to be Visit Indonesia Year–but perhaps it’s just a strong shove from fate to remind people about the idea of green travel. Who knows where the fuel might run out next? We’d better start learning to walk again.

If that kind of growth continues, then 2008 will beat the 2004 record of 267,500.

But while Australian tourists have confidence in Bali, our Government does not and this is causing angst among a group of Australians involved in the tourism industry there.

“This is very good news for Indonesia as it prepares to host the United Nations COP-13 Climate Change Conference in Bali this December,” US embassy Charge d’affairs, John Heffern, said in an embassy statement.

The embassy said Ngurah Rai international airport met International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards and applauded authorities for improving security procedures.

According to Chris Abbott, Head of Production of Bali Alive, he & Jason Michael Head
of sales & marketing decide to create Bali Alive after frequenting this tropical paradise for over 20 years. ‘We found plenty of Bali information on sites featuring lots of inactive words and pictures. Having spent over eight years developing TV programs for the Internet, we decided to use our skills to showcase Bali, Chris Abbott stated.

But Bali is also home to some of the world’s best hotels, including those repeatedly recognised and awarded by leading International travel magazine Travel & Leisure.

In addition to recognising Bali for the sixth consecutive year – as ‘The World’s Best Island Destination’, the accolades in recent years include having several of its hotels recognised as best in the world, including the Four Seasons Resorts at Jimbaran Bay and at Sayan.