Up and Coming Bali

Filed in archive Business Travel on January 1, 2008

This past month, Bali hosted its biggest event ever, The World Forum on Climate Change. Politics aside, Bali succeeded in its hosting duties and vastly increased its status amongst the region's major destinations.

What does Bali's newfound fame mean for the hordes of beach-goers for whom Bali is the very definition of paradise? Little, probably. Bali's industry will always rely on the beach as its bread-and-butter earner. But, by bolstering its image as a setting for conferences, forums, and other events, the small island has found another tourism earner.

Bali is not a "hidden gem" for most travelers, but for a harried businessman looking for a few hours rest in between company presentations, nothing would be better than escaping from his hotel's conference center to a nearby beach. The success of the climate change forum will undoubtedly lead to other events and conferences. That will be a boon for Bali's hospitality industry, and a welcome change from Singapore, KL, or Jakarta for conference-goers.