Robert Go, Seminyak – Bearing an ornately carved "dragon blowpipe" and a wooden cigarette box, souvenir seller Dewa Nyoman steps more lightly on his beach route now that Indonesia's general election has passed without trouble.

The 37-year-old knew that his livelihood was at stake. "Of course, Bali could have gone into another crisis if violence had taken place. I don't know what I would have done if the tourists had disappeared again," he said.

The April 5 election delivered a political revolution on the tourist island. President Megawati Sukarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) has lost big. It had 85 per cent of the vote five years ago, but the early tally of ballots shows it might get just over 50 per cent this year.

All this, however, is taking place quietly. No mob has taken to the streets and the PDI-P's local leaders seem courteous in defeat.

Analysts say the Balinese know their tourism-driven economy is all too sensitive and will respond negatively to political violence and signs of instability.

And the people will keep things calm as Indonesia finishes its political year by holding its first direct presidential poll in July, all for the sake of keeping the tourists coming in.

Mr Nyoman is not alone. All over the island, cafe owners, fruit vendors, hotel maids and others who depend on tourist dollars are breathing a collective ans heartfelt sigh of relief.

Mr John Daniels, the American boss of the Bali Discovery Tours group, said: "Political violence would scare off tourists. More than 50 per cent of Balinese depend on tourism, and nobody wants to rock the boat."

The police are nipping potential trouble in the bud. At least eight men have been detained in Bangli district for vandalising public facilities such as street lamps and signs after their party of choice fared poorly on April 5.

Such is the tight control being exercised that police are refusing to say publicly which political party the vandals supported. "The crime is what is important, not the politics," one local police source said.

All this is taking place against the backdrop of yet another recovery for Bali, which has been on an economic roller-coaster during the past six years.

The downfall of Mr Suharto in May 1998 and the climate of political uncertainty that followed in its wake cut tourist numbers. After a brief recovery, the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington again affected air travel and hit Bali hard.

Then came the biggest blow of all: Bombings by Islamic militants in Kuta killed 202 people. As a result, the incoming flow of tourists slowed to a trickle in October 2002.

Analysts say another recovery is taking place and with the summer holiday season coming up, Bali could be back on its feet. "Everyone knows the effects of unrest and instability ... those who try to provoke others may find themselves in big trouble," said analyst Ngurah Karyadi.

As for Mr Nyoman, the souvenir seller, he is happy that he can start raising prices for his wares and that more Australians and Japanese – considered to be less tight-fisted with their cash – are visiting again.

"Want blowpipe, cheap price?" he offers before puffing his cheeks and shooting off a sewing needle out of the dragon's mouth and into the sand.