The number of visitors to Bali who are seeking spiritual tourism packages has risen, according to a recent report in the Jakarta Post. While it used to be that tourists came to the Indonesian island seeking sand, sea, sun and sex, they are now more likely to be interested in such cultural and religious activities as yoga and meditation. This is particularly true of visitors from the USA, Australia, Europe and Japan, according to the deputy chairman of the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies in Bali, Mr. Bagus Sudibya. Here is some of what he said:
The association estimated that the percentage of travel agents organizing spiritual tourism packages was around 10 percent, while the percentage of tourists coming to Bali to enjoy spiritual activities was roughly 5 percent of all incoming foreign tourists.
Within a month, some travel agents handle three or four groups of between 10 to 15 people, and the number shows an upward trend, Sudibya said.
“This shows that spiritual tourism has potential to be developed in Bali, and most importantly, it could contribute to improving conditions in Bali as this kind of tourism is more qualified than mass tourism.”
According to Sudibya, travel agents have also been more intensely offering spiritual tourism packages, without waiting for demand. The market has responded positively, due to the growing number of people looking to find inner peace and happiness through self-healing amid the problems in their lives.
“Tourists who join a spiritual tourism package usually look for quiet, secluded places to do meditation. We can recommend some places, but they can also plan which places they want to visit, then we can facilitate them.”
Places like Kintamani, Besakih Temple and Pucak Mangu Temple in Pelaga are among their favorite places, where they may find a strong “spiritual vibration”. There are also some tourists who request night visits to Tanah Lot Temple as it is much quieter when the hordes of day-time visitors have left.
“We arrange the packages by adjusting them to suit their daily habits, like eating only organic food. Most of them are vegetarian,” Sudibya said.
For readers who would like to see the complete article, it may be read online at http://www.thejakartapost.com/bali-daily/2012-07-30/spiritual-tourism-increasingly-popular.html
Body Mind Spirit Journeys has seen an increased interest not only in spiritual tourism to Bali, but worldwide, especially to sacred sites in England such as Stonehenge and places of power in Peru such as Machu Pichu.
The English Tourist Board has reported that more than 70 percent of visitors to the U.K. said that an important reason for their trip was to visit such spiritual destinations as churches, shrines and cathedrals.
Besakih Temple photo courtesy of Deni Saputra
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