ABSTRACT
Tourism is no recent phenomenon on the Indonesian island of Bali. Colonised by the Dutch, the Balinese held on to a unique blend of Hindu, Buddhist and animist religions that imbued their cultural and social life. Tales of this exotic society living in tune with art and nature attracted foreigners as long as a century ago, and since independence, Bali has been the jewel in the crown of government tourism policy, hosting ever larger numbers of visitors (see graph).
