INFORMAL TOURISM EMPLOYMENT - VENDORS IN BALI, INDONESIA

In recognition of the importance of informal employment in countries of the South, this paper presents the results of interviews conducted with beach and street vendors in Kuta and Sanur, two major resort areas in Bali, Indonesia. Aspects of demographic and job characteristics, language skills, sources of income and financing, and job satisfaction and perceived status are addressed. Among other findings, it is demonstrated that the majority of vendors in both resorts are teenagers or young adults, male and single. They usually are not Balinese but are migrants from elsewhere in Indonesia. Many vendors view their current employment as a means of acquiring the skills required to gain access to employment in the formal sector.