Ep 121: Two Years of Travel Disruption, Part II: Bali, Indonesia & Beyond with Stuart McDonald

The prolonged closure of Bali has been a global media case study for the two-year decline of travel in South East Asia. As it slowly reopens, Gary chats to Bali-based Stuart McDonald, Founder of independent travel information company Travelfish, a prolific travel journalist and a respected voice on tourism in South East Asia.

In April 2020, Stuart came onto the show (episode 13) and said: “I think we’re looking at least 2 to 2.5 years from today before any kind of substantial recreational tourism restarts. Obviously, I hope I’m wrong.”

He reflects on that statement and describes what has (and hasn’t) changed across Bali, including popular destinations such as Canggu, Ubud and Kuta. Having taken a recent trip to Flores, Stuart discusses ongoing development in Labuan Bajo - one of Indonesia’s Super Priority tourism investment destinations) - and changes under way at the Komodo National Park.

He also recounts tales of diving one of Indonesia’s best sites, meeting Bulgarian backpackers and speaking with elders in a beautiful remote village.

Plus, why is travel insurance a bigger issue than ever before, and why did Stuart decide to return to study for an MSc in Responsible Tourism Management?