02 Nov DEATH ON THE RIVER WAS AVOIDABLE
The recent death on a rafting tour in Bali for media was probably avoidable, as was the report of a dangerous incident the previous day, that went viral on the internet, concerning an Australian family on a similar rafting tour – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11326451/Australian-family-nearly-killed-white-water-rafting-Bali.html?ns_mchannel=rss HYPERLINK “https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11326451/Australian-family-nearly-killed-white-water-rafting-Bali.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490″& HYPERLINK “https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11326451/Australian-family-nearly-killed-white-water-rafting-Bali.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490″ns_campaign=1490 HYPERLINK “https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11326451/Australian-family-nearly-killed-white-water-rafting-Bali.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490″& HYPERLINK “https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11326451/Australian-family-nearly-killed-white-water-rafting-Bali.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490″ito=1490
Australian Nigel Mason, Managing Director of Mason Adventures in Bali, had warned that this was most likely to happen, only 7 days previous to this incident, in a speech that he gave as guest speaker at the International Tourism Summit 2022 held in Denpasar, attended by members of the tourism industry. In attendance was the governor, vice governor and head of tourism for Bali – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZJ9MDfkpcE HYPERLINK “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZJ9MDfkpcE&ab_channel=MasonAdventures”& HYPERLINK “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZJ9MDfkpcE&ab_channel=MasonAdventures”ab_channel=MasonAdventures
Mr. Mason had warned that indiscriminate discounting and other factors, were leading to the deterioration of rafting standards that were causing a dangerous precedent that was seeing not just lower quality and infrastructure, but also a never seen before lack of safety on the river that could lead to a dangerous situation occurring. Only 6 days later this prediction transpired.
Mr. mason had mentioned in his speech that since the reopening of Bali tourism after a 2-year closure of the covid pandemic, an air of desperation had become apparent in Bali, where some small companies and a rash of freelance agents (often selling on the streets) were motivated by commissions to use only the companies that gave them the most profit, rather than the best or safest products. This was quite evident with some ATV or whitewater rafting companies, many of whom were either new operators or companies that had inadequate infrastructure or management and who purely used discounted prices to attract business. This, he warned, was not just lowering the quality and safety, but would ultimately lower Bali’s reputation as a top destination in Asia.
He advised the Bali tourism board and the government of Bali, that standards of operation needed to be implemented to all adventure companies to assure and ensure that international guests were protected from any affect caused by the deterioration that was taking place, especially to the more dangerous activities such as ATV’s and White-Water Rafting tours. As the pioneer of the rafting industry 32 years ago in Bali, he said that without control the whole adventure industry would fall into disrepute and chaos and eventually destroy itself. Mr. Mason advised that safety standards and pricing should be seriously looked into before the situation got out of hand and offered himself to work with the government and other companies to outline and set these standards for the future of Bali’s tourism.
Nigel Mason is originally from Melbourne Australia and came to Bali 42 years ago and married his Balinese wife Yanie in the mid-eighties. Together they’ve worked in tourism and F&B, establishing the first rafting company on the island in 1989. They also built the internationally renowned Mason Elephant Park in 1997, which Is the only animal park in Indonesia with a Gold Star in Animal Welfare rating from ACES (Asian captive elephant standards). The couple now supported by their two sons, Jian and Shan, run this family business Mason Adventures, that has seen many international celebrities and stars visit their operations since the early nineties.