I’m all for fair competition, as I believe it gives customers the personal choice that they deserve and pay for, however this must be on a level playing field. This week lies and deceit have sunk to new depths of dishonesty in this industry and I feel compelled to
inform potential guests who are trying to visit the Elephant Safari Park at Taro, Ubud that this unethical and immoral behavior leaves me flabbergasted and frustrated, but visitors to Bali deserve to be warned and aware of this situation.
As I have written in my brochure and on this website before, there are dozens, no let me correct that, hundreds of dishonest drivers and small freelance agents on this island who are prepared to do anything to gain commission payments. Many businesses in Bali that copy others, with cheap
imitations and substandard facilities, use higher commissions and greed to attract business, caring little if people are disappointed or cheated. I have listed before many of the ‘tricks’ that are used to gain customers in this way for these businesses.
This week however I was astounded by some of the new tactics and complete lies used to fool people into handing their money over to these unscrupulous cheats. Firstly two Australian women who arrived at the Elephant Safari Park told me that they had for the past 3 YEARS been trying to
visit the Park and had only managed to get to it this year due to their determination not to be cheated yet again. In fact last year they were taken to another elephant place even after asking their driver, (who they had used before and trusted), to take them to Nigel Mason’s Elephant
Safari Park at Taro. After being assured that he would take them there, they were in fact taken to the Elephant Camp.
When they arrived they said this doesn’t look like the Elephant Safari Park, as they were unable to see any of the numerous attractions featured in our brochure and it was unrecognizable compared to our website photos. However a mahout (elephant driver) assured them that Nigel Mason was in
fact not there today but in Australia at the time. Only later on returning home did they realize, after looking once more at our website, that they had been blatantly lied to yet again and had in fact not been taken to our Park at Taro.
The second story told to me was by a family of four who had arrived at our park quite late in the day, but took the trouble to talk to me to tell me of what a terrible time they had spent trying to get to the Elephant Safari Park that day, but now that they had finally got here, they wanted
to tell me how beautiful it was. They were in fact taken to not one, but three other elephant places that day before their driver finally took them to our park, thereby wasting most of their day travelling from one disappointment to another.
The third and final story told to me this week was the most amazing. Two women were staying at a small hotel in Kuta and had heard about the Elephant Safari Park and as zoo employees from Australia, wanted to visit our famous facility. For two days the hotel staff denied any knowledge of our
parks existence and tried to send them to other elephant places. After no success at the hotel they walked out into the street and found a driver. After requesting to be driven to the Elephant Safari Park at Taro, they were told “That park had been closed because it was dangerous and the
elephants have been given to the elephant camp”
These two ladies only finally got to our park by getting hold of one of our brochures from another driver, (who had stickers stuck over our phone number), but after holding it up to the light managed to finally get our phone number and booked directly with Bali Adventure Tours, our head
office.
The lies seem to have now sunk to a new level of almost criminal dishonestly and I can only now suggest that our customers BOOK DIRECT by either phoning our head office on 62 361 721480 or online at Bali Adventure Tours.
When doing this you will be assured of getting what you want and we reward you with a 15% discount when you book direct. We also accept any credit card payments online, as we are an accredited ‘PAYPAL’ customer, or you can pay with any currency or card on your day of tour if you prefer. All our
tours including the Elephant Safari Park, White Water Rafting, and Mountain Cycling are all inclusive of transfers in our own fleet of buses, insurance, lunch and equipment.
Nigel Mason
Managing Director
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