New Australian Travel Safety Campaign To Target Young Bali Backpackers 

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The Australian Government travel advice bureau, Smarttraveler will be launching an educational awareness campaign aimed at young Australian tourists following a mass methodical poisoning even in Laos in 2024.

Reports of methanol poisoning in Bali hit headlines every year, and the campaign is aimed at helping young travelers enjoy the party scene of destinations across Southeast Asia, and around the world more safely. 

In November 2024 friends Bianca Jones and Holly Bowels died from methanol poisoning after drinking tainted alcohol at a bar in a hostel in Laos while on holiday. Both women, aged 19, were victims of a mass poisoning event that took the lives of six people.

Over the next month the Australian travel advice bureau, Smarttraveler, will be promoting an education campaign to help travelers understand the signs and symptoms of methanol poisoning and alcohol-related risks. 

The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, told reporters during the announcement of the new campaign “The families of Holly and Bianca are foremost in my mind today, and also the many families of other Australians who have lost loved ones.”

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She added, “We want our children to be curious and explore the world – but above all else, we want them to be safe.”

In a social media infographic, Smarttravler explains “As little as one shot of methanol can be fatal. Labels on bottles aren’t always accurate. Be suspicious of unusually cheap drinks claiming to use branded spirits, they may be counterfeit.”

Adding “The symptoms of methanol poisoning can vary. If you or a friend have symptoms or just don’t feel right, get medical help immediately. Urgent medical care could save your life.”

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One of the most shocking facts about methanol poisoning is how little needs to be consumed in order for a fatal poisoning to occur. As outlined by Doctors Without Borders, as little as 30ml, around a mouthful or a shot of methanol can be fatal. As little as 10ml, just 2 teaspoons can cause blindness. 

Doctors Without Borders explains “Ingestion of methanol happens when a person consumes alcoholic drinks that have been adulterated with methanol, which is done by those making it to lower production cost and increase profit. Thousands of people are poisoned by methanol every year. The fatality rate in an outbreak is often reported to be 20% to 40%.”

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Symptoms of methanol poisoning do not necessarily present themselves immediately. Symptoms can start to appear within 12-24 hours. Symptoms include fatigue, headache, dizziness and vertigo as well as nausea, abdominal pain, breathlessness and hyperventilation, and vision problems.

Urgent medical attention is essential if someone is suspected to be experiencing methanol poisoning. If in doubt, seek emergency medical treatment. 

Tourists traveling to Bali who wish to consume alcohol are advised to exercise extreme caution. Methanol poisoning has not only been reported in backpackers’ bars and budget-friendly nightclubs over the years but at highly regarded establishments too.

The prevailing advice is that tourists should only drink spirits or hard liquor that they have purchased themselves through duty-free. If ordering alcohol at a bar, restaurant, or hotel, it is advisable to stick to beers, wines, or pre-mix spirit mixers.

Over the years contaminated drinks in Bali have included local spirits, home-brew alcohol, and even brand-name alcohol. 

Australian tourists remain the most frequent international arrivals in Bali and the longstanding relationship between Australia and Indonesia is something that both parties are keen to continue strengthening.

Earlier this month Australian Consulate-General Jo Stevens met with the Head of the Bali Tourism Office, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, to share her support for the Balinese government in ensuring tourists behave respectfully while on vacation. 

In 2024 more than 1.5 million Australian tourists visited Bali. Stevens told reporters “It shows that the vast majority of Australians are enjoying a fun, safe, and trouble-free holidays in Bali, supporting the local culture, and economy; a trend we want to see continue.”