DENPASAR (indo.com): Many foreign travellers to Bali are having their hair plaited or made into dread lock rasta style, prompting the hair-plaiting business in the area to flourish.

Ketut Sukartini from Jimbaran, who offers hair-plaiting services, said that when her business was first opened in 1999, most of her customers were from Australia and Latin America.

"However, our customers now also include Japanese, Chinese and Taiwanese," she told indo.com.

The hair-plaiting and manicure businesses have been in full swing in the Kuta and Sanur areas since 1998.

Ketut Sukartini said that she started her business in 1998 when a traveller from Melbourne, Australia asked her to develop the business by first convincing her that many foreigners like dread lock rasta styles.

At first she was somewhat doubtful about the feasibility of the business and dropped the idea. However, with many Australians visiting Bali at the end of 1999 using this style, she decided to open the business. Now, she employs 26 staff.

For the hair plaiting service, she charges Rp25,000 (approx. US$ 2.50) for children and Rp 30,000 (approx. US$ 3.00) for adults. "This is not a fixed rate. It actually depends on the request and the level of difficulty," she added. This enables her to earn between Rp500,000 (approx.US$ 50) and Rp1.5 million (approx.US$ 150) per day, though business is far from stable and depends heavily on the number of customers.