BALI - Indian tourists to Bali up 81%

The Financial express, Jan 17 2008

The number of Indian tourists visiting Bali in the first eleven months of 2007, jumped 81.6% to 19,204 from a year earlier, a tour operator said.
“I believe the number of Indian tourists visiting Bali will continue to increase, because the Indian and Balinese people have many things in common,” Cokorda Agung, the tour operator, said.

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BALI - to Spend US$538,000 on Tourism Promotion

Balidiscovery.com, (1/19/2008)

Tempo Interaktif reports that the Provincial Government of Bali will spend Rp. 5 billion (US$538,000) on tourism promotion from a total tourism budget of Rp. 11 billion (US$1.18 million) for the Island.The Head of the Bali Tourism Authority, Gde Nurjaya told Tempo that Bali is targeting 1.9 foreign visitors in 2008, explaining, "that is a realistic figure because last year the number of foreign tourists hit 1.6 million."The 2007 figures represented a marked improvement from 2006 when 1.2 million (Editor: 1.26 million) foreign visitors came to Bali.

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BALI - Organic farming takes root in post-bomb Bali

Inside Indonesia 91: Jan-Mar 2008

Since the second bombing in 2005, tourism numbers have slowly returned to something resembling pre-bomb levels. The memories have faded, the tourism fantasy has gradually reasserted itself, and a real post-tourism economy has yet to take shape. Some seeds of it have been sown though, mostly in the form of enterprises that feed off or into tourism in various ways: a shift from providing tourism facilities to longer-term expatriate and business accommodation, meeting and conference facilities, international hospitals and health centres. The smart operators, the big players, have quietly moved at least some of their investment out of tourism into real estate, or anything less vulnerable than tourism.
Earlier this decade it seemed rice-farming might die out altogether in Bali
At the same time, somewhat less spectacularly, the agriculture sector has begun to transform itself, from the production of rice and subsidiary crops for subsistence, to a growing emphasis on cash crops. While some of the problems of Balinese agriculture have been exacerbated by tourism-driven prosperity and cultural modernisation, tourism has also provided new opportunities for agriculture, including a growing range of niche markets for premium and healthy foods for hotels, restaurants and the expatriate community.

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INDONESIA - Indonesia's Lion Air to Buy 49% of a Brisbane-based Airline

Balidiscovery.com (1/12/2008)

A number of press reports are suggesting that Indonesian Lion Air (PT Lion Mentari Airlines) is eyeing a 49% share in an Australian domestic air carrier as a possible precursor to establishing a feeder network for the establishment of international flights between Indonesia and Australia.Australian press reports say that discussions are at an advanced stage between Lion Air and Brisbane-based Sky Air World.

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BALI - Tourism Expert Calls for a Freeze on New Accommodation

Balidiscovery.com (1/5/2008)

A leading academic and observer of Balinese tourism from Udayana University’s Tourism Study Department, Drs. I Putu Anom, has called on the Government to call a halt to the building of new accommodation in order to stop the diversion of land from agricultural purposes and to allow existing accommodation operators to consolidate their business positions. Quoted in BisnisBali, Anom said the Government must act firmly in refusing to issue new accommodation permits.

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BALI - If Only Bali Had Listened to its French Consultants

Balidiscovery.com,(1/6/2008)

Bali-based tourism commentator, Gregorius, recently published an op-ed article in the Bali Post asking why a Bali Tourism Study and Report to the Indonesian Government prepared by the consulting firm Societe Centrale pour l'equipment Touristique Ouetre-Mer (SCETO) has been largely ignored. That study, produced in 1971, painted a bleak picture of Bali's future unless a master plan was adopted that focused on preserving culture and emphasized developing quality tourism products for the Island.
One of SCETO's recommendation was reserving specific areas of the island for "mass tourism" development – such as Nusa Dua, Sanur and Lovina. Areas outside these tourism enclaves would be reserved for higher priced boutique properties, carefully controlled to preserve the local character of Bali and avoid the pitfalls of unregulated development.

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BALI - A Dream Industry Driven by Strong Communications

Balidiscovery.com, (12/28/2007)

Professor Dr. Gde Pitana, the former head of the Bali Tourism Authority (BTA) and now an expert staff for the Minister of Culture and Tourism, offered his informed overview of Indonesia's tourism industry in a special op-ed piece published in the December 27, 2007 edition of the Bali Post. Terming tourism as an industry that "sells dreams," Pitana said that the real challenge for tourism practitioners is not only in how to create dreams, but also in how to ensure dreams and expectations are realized by visitors to a destination. In order to cultivate and create a positive image for Bali tourism, Pitana insisted that Bali must always provide the public with sufficient quality information that is accurate, consistent and transparent.

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BALI - Visitors Spending More, But Leaving Sooner

Balidiscovery.com, 12/29/2007)

The authoritative Indonesian Digest prepared by Ibu Wuryastuti Sunario reports:The most recent 2007 Passenger Exit survey conducted among international visitors to Indonesia reveals that, on average, tourists spent US$ 57.89 more per stay this year than was the case in 2006. At the same time, length of stay declined by 0.7 days, reports the Department of Culture and Tourism in its website budpar.go.id

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BALI - The Russians are Coming!

Balidiscovery.com (12/23/2007)

Assisted by regular flight service from Moscow to Bali on Thai Airways and Singapore Airlines and visas-on-arrival, Russian arrivals to Bali are booming – up +64.56% year-to-date January-November 2007..The December – January period if high season ex Russia with travel operators organizing charter flights to Southeast Asia to handle the added demand.Big spenders, often traveling with limited English, evidence of the growing importance of Russian tourists in Bali are the hotels offering Russian language menus and directories of services and a large number of shops posting Russian signs in their windows.

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BALI - a Bargain Destination for Japanese Travelers

Balidiscovery.com, (12/22/2007)

Republika on Line reports that Japanese tourists consider the cost of a Bali holiday as relatively inexpensive, costing only Rp. 5 million (US$526) for a three day holiday including accommodation at a star-rated hotel.Quoting a Ubud-based travel agent, Ni Wayan Kawiani, the low cost of a Bali holiday has made the island a repeat destination for many Japanese travelers. Popular with both young Japanese and older office workers, the Japanese, according to Kawiani, see Bali largely as a safe and secure destination.

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BALI - Hotels Aiming to Reduce Energy Consumption by 40% Within One Year

Balidiscovery.com, (12/15/2007)

The energy conservation program, dubbed Switch off, Unplug, Enjoy – Energy Efficient Bali, was launched on board Greenpeace's fabled Rainbow Warrior docked at Bali's Benoa Harbor.The program, based on a survey conducted by Greenpeace among 15 hotels in Nusa Dua in November 2007, outlines the steps than can be taken by hotels to reduce energy consumption and preserve the world's natural environment.The program which has been strongly endorsed by Indonesia's Minister for the Environment, Rachmat Witoelar, is aimed at all hotels, guest houses, restaurants, cafes and entertainment venues in Bali. Socialization of the program will be done through a series of educational seminars conducted among tourism industry members.

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INDONESIA - Is Bali Losing its Cultural Compass?

Balidiscovery.com, (12/8/2007)

Speaking at a seminar held in Bali on December 2, 2007, Indonesia's former Minister of Culture and Tourism. I Gede Ardika warned that Bali was increasingly disassociating itself from its traditional values.Quoted by the National News Agency Antara, Ardika delivered an address entitled - "Bali's Tourism: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Challenges for Nature and the Balinese People" – in which he said that the people of Bali were increasingly upset by the new attitude that considers all things are permissible in pursuit of private goals.

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BALI - Meeting Seeks a World Consensus to Prevent a Global Melt Down

Balidiscovery.com, (12/1/2007)

While Bali prepares to host leadership delegations from more than 189 countries at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), it's worthwhile to re-emphasize here how vitally important the meetings and declarations hammered out between December 3-14th will be to the people of the world.Lest we be in doubt as to what's at stake, the words of the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, who say that the Earth faces a real scenario more terrifying than any science fiction movies should serve as a haunting reminder of what must be achieved in Bali.

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BALI - No Strings Attached

Balisdiscovery.com, (12/1/2007)

Tempo Interaktif reports that the State Power Board (PLN) have asked the people of Bali not to engage in their favorite pastime of kite flying during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) set to take place in Nusa Dua from December 3-14, 2007.PLN officials told the press that they have forwarded their request to village chiefs across the island because they are worried that kites may interfere with the electrical distribution system.The extremely large kites flown by many village associations are often held aloft by wires that when they accidentally come in contact with high voltage lines can act as conductors causing short circuits.

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BALI - Tourists encounter frightened dolphins

eTN, Dec 5 2007

The management of the dolphin watching business has also been criticized. "Can you imagine, during peak season hundreds of boats head out to sea in the same direction to watch the dolphins," said Made Rudita, the head of the Catur Karya Bhakti Sraga group in Kalibukbuk.
Once dolphins are spotted, the boats race to get into the best position. Many people are satisfied by the experience, but others return from sea complaining the dolphins were chased and cornered by the boats.

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INDONESIA - Chinese tourists visiting Bali up 131 percent

thejakartapost.com, 26 Nov 2007

The number of Chinese tourists who visited Bali in the first ten months of 2007 was more than 69,400 or up 131 percent from the same period last year, a tourism operator said.
The figure put China in the sixth place after Japan, Australia, Taiwan, South Korea and Malaysia in terms of foreign tourists visiting the resort island, Tjok Gde Agung said Tuesday.Tjok said he was pleased with the rising number of Chinese tourists visiting Bali and asked the government and tourism operators to work hard to attract more Chinese tourists.

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BALI - 70 Bali Travel Agencies to Be Axed?

Balidiscovery.com, (11/24/2007)

BisnisBali reports that 70 Bali travel agents may soon be expelled from the Association of Indonesian Travel Agents (ASITA) as a precursor to the companies' eventual closure by the Indonesian government.The Chairman of ASITA-Bali, Al Purwa, announced that the 70 "unhealthy" travel agents are being given 3 months to get their house in order or face expulsion from the trade organization. Said Purwa, "We will ask ASITA headquarters to revoke the memberships of the 70 Bali members who are no longer healthy." The 70 companies, according to Purwa, have not responded to repeated attempts by ASITA-Bali to make contact and do not take an active role as a member of the organization.

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INDONESIA - Bali to build new cruise ship port

Traveldailyasia.com, 11/19/2007

Putu Ardana, head of the Bali Transportation Office, said the project is expected to be completed in 2009, according to a Jakarta Post report.
He added that the port would be designed to accommodate large-scale single or double-deck cruise ships measuring 360 metres by 50 metres.
"The completion and operation of the port will constitute the first cruise ship port in Indonesia," said Nengah Parwata, a transport official at Karangasem in Labuan Amuk where the port is being built. Putu said the infrastructure currently being built included office buildings, a berth, terminal, health and security posts, immigration office and other supporting facilities.

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THAILAND - Regional resort competition rising

Bangkokpost, November 12, 2007

While there is no denying that Phuket is at the top of the hierarchy when it comes to the region-wide resort property market, Thailand should watch the economic benefits it is obtaining from foreign investment because neighbouring countries are offering better terms.

In any case, Phuket remains the most successful regional resort market, followed in succession by Samui where CBRE has just opened an office, Pattaya and Hua Hin. Also emerging rapidly are Danang in central Vietnam and Penang and Langkawi in Malaysia. While Thailand's tourism reputation and infrastructure are quite enviable, Mr Simister noted that rival destinations are not only getting the tenure issue right, but some have improved their infrastructure as well. The facilities in Langkawi are excellent, he notes.

Vietnam is also becoming very interesting to property investors, even though Bali in many ways is seen as Phuket's most obvious competitor. However, Mr Simister believes that while the Indonesian resort island has seen a resurgence, it is now viewed as an area of minority interest.

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INDONESIA - Can Bali Say 'No' to Casinos?

Balidiscovery.com, (11/10/2007)

Highly controversial plans to open a casino in Bali at the location of the former Bali Cliff Resort surfaced recently with reports in the local press that local law enforcement officials and lawmakers were reportedly "studying" such a plan.According the Radar Bali, Nengah Netra, a Balinese living in Ungasan, not far from the Bali Cliff Resort, says he has been appointed to establish an integrated international entertainment business in Bali by a local company PT. Lumba Indocas Jaya. The Company, which reportedly holds a "principal agreement" issued by the former Regent of Bandung in 2001, sought to form a cooperative venture with the Bali Cliff Resort that would offer electronic games of bridge, baccarat, black jack, poker, slot machines, roulette, keno and Internet Sports games in Bali.

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