On the Indonesian resort island of Bali, the growing influx of Chinese tourists is not just changing the dynamics of the tourism market – it is also changing the faces of the Gods.
From the curbside stalls of Kuta beach to the upscale galleries in Ubud, most of the popular wooden and stone statues and figurines on sale are now carved with the face of Guanyin, the Chinese Buddhist goddess of mercy.
Just a few years ago on this predominantly Hindu island, such carvings almost all depicted Hindu gods such as elephant-faced Ganesh, or Vishnu riding a winged horse.
“Chinese tourists are the future for Bali and we have adapted many things to cater to their tastes,” says Adhi Wijaya, a tour guide in Bali. “The problem we have is they come on package tours with their own guides, stay in their own hotels and eat in their own restaurants.”
In spite of the global economic crisis, the number of Chinese tourists travelling abroad rose 5.2 per cent last year to 42.2m, up from less than 7m in 2001, while total spending rose 16 per cent from 2008 to about $42bn.
Source
FT
