Aussie tourists streaming back to Bali sunshine

According to Garuda Indonesia, flight schedules between Sydney and Bali that added 3000 seats to the route have been a resounding success and its new Sydney flight is recording average loading of 90 per cent.

The airline's high load factors reflect a rise of more than 50 per cent to 85,860 in the number of Australians visiting Bali in the first half of the year. The record, 267,500, was set in 2004.

Bali is Australia's fourth most popular holiday destination behind New Zealand, Thailand and the US.

Western Australia and Victoria are performing well for Garuda, which flies from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Darwin, but Western Australia remains Bali's biggest holiday market.

Adelaidenow, Australia