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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INDONESIA - launches 2008 tourism campaign to howls of protest

eTN, Dec 21, 2007

Indonesia launched its new Visit Indonesia 2008 (VI 2008) tourism campaign to howls of protest when eagle-eyed readers of the campaign’s Website and in-flight TV advertisements spotted grammatical errors.
The campaign slogan, inaugurated by Indonesian Tourism Minister Jero Wacik last week, is also plastered on Indonesia’s flag carrier Garuda planes, Website and on its promotional TV ads.
The country is embarking on the campaign to revive its flagging tourism industry which recorded a drop of 2.3 percent, or about four million foreign tourist arrivals, in 2006.
Critics have pointed out, the VI 2008 tourism tagline, “Celebrating 100 years of a nation's awakening,” should instead read “national” or be preceded by a definite article. The tagline refers to the founding of “Boedi Detomo” or “Noble Endeavour” by medical students in the then Dutch-ruled Indonesia.

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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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INDONESIA - Seeking Continental Advice

Balidiscovery.com, (12/1/2007)

Vice President Jusuf Kalla has instructed Garuda Indonesia to seek an European-based consultant in order to enhance the quality and standards of aviation safety. The instructions to hire a foreign consultant comes as something of a surprise from the man who, in the past, has made no secret of his preference for local consultants.An interview with the Vice President published in the Bali Post on December 1, 2007, provides background on Kalla's call for the urgent hiring of an European aviation consultant.
The Interview: Jusuf Kalla

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INDONESIA - Aceh invites tourists to see Sharia law in action

adnkronos.com, 26 Nov 2007

Corporal punishment is carried out in Aceh for crimes including the sale or consumption of alcohol, gambling or meeting a person of the opposite sex, that is not your husband, wife or family member, in a private place.
Tourism authorities in Indonesia's Aceh province hope that its practice of Sharia or Islamic law will attract visitors. "We invite international tourists to visit Aceh to observe how an Islamic community lives and how the Islamic code of Sharia is applied," said Cipta Hunai, an Aceh tourism official, in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI).

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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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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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REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS - Urbanization: how will it impact on tourism?

T o u r i s m S c a n, Vol. 4 Issue 10 November 2007

Twenty-one major cities are reported to be in most danger of rising sea levels, one of the effects of climate change, as a recently released report by the Worldwatch Institute announced. According to the Associated Press, the most vulnerable cities will count at least an 8-million population by 2015. Cities identified as "highly vulnerable" i.e. in danger by climate change effects, while housing a total of 10% of the world's population are: New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Bangkok, Jakarta, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai,
Cairo, Mumbai and Karachi, according to Australia's News.com. Unplanned and chaotic urbanization is taking a huge toll on human health and the quality of the environment, contributing to social, ecological, and economic instability. Of the 3 billion urban dwellers today, 1 billion live in “slums,” defined as areas where people cannot secure key necessities. An estimated 1.6 million urban residents die each year due to lack
of clean water and sanitation as a result.

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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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BALI - Running out of Runway

Balidiscovery.com (11/10/2007)

PT Angkasa Pura I, the managers of Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport, surprised a meeting of local planners and regency officials on November 5, 2007 when they revealed current airport development plans only contemplate a runway extension sometime after the year 2025.Quoting Angkasa Pura's aviation consultants, the current thinking is that Bali's single runway of 3,000 meters in length and 45 meters in width "is sufficient to land a Boeing 747 carrying 400 passengers and a full load of fuel."

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AVIATION - Tourism Players Want A Say In BIMP-EAGA Air Links

Bernama.com.my, Nov 3 2007

Tourism players want their input considered when airlines initiate air connectivity within the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).The call follows the disclosure that a Malaysia Airlines subsidiary, FireFly, is considering serving the sub-region.Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF) president Wee Hong Seng said Saturday such feedback would help create a win-win situation for the airline industry as well as the BIMP-EAGA stakeholders in the public and private sectors of the four participating countries."We need to promote two-way traffic for both inbound and outbound tourists, otherwise the load may not be enough for the airlines to be viable in this sub region," he told Bernama on the sidelines of the Value Chain Tourism Forum held in conjunction with the Third BIMP-EAGA Travel Exchange 2007 here.

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AVIATION - Tourism Players Want A Say In BIMP-EAGA Air Links

Bernama.com.my, Nov 3 2007

Tourism players want their input considered when airlines initiate air connectivity within the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).The call follows the disclosure that a Malaysia Airlines subsidiary, FireFly, is considering serving the sub-region.Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF) president Wee Hong Seng said Saturday such feedback would help create a win-win situation for the airline industry as well as the BIMP-EAGA stakeholders in the public and private sectors of the four participating countries."We need to promote two-way traffic for both inbound and outbound tourists, otherwise the load may not be enough for the airlines to be viable in this sub region," he told Bernama on the sidelines of the Value Chain Tourism Forum held in conjunction with the Third BIMP-EAGA Travel Exchange 2007 here.

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INDONESIA - Shrinking Market Share in ASEAN

Balidiscovery.com, (11/3/2007)

While precise arrival figures for foreign tourist arrivals to all of the ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are difficult to come by, currently available figures do suggest that Indonesia, when viewed as a part of all-ASEAN arrivals, is losing market share.

Against a backdrop of generally improving arrival numbers in Southeast Asia, Indonesia has lost 24.59% of its relative market share from 2002 to 2006
• In the same period of 2002 to 2006 total ASEAN arrivals increased +29.08% to 56.73 million.
• In the period of 2002 to 2006 Indonesian arrivals decreased -3.1% to 4.87 million.
• Indonesia has the dubious distinction among ASEAN nations of having lost the largest amount of market share over the subject 4 year period declining -24.97%.
The only other ASEAN countries to lose market share were Brunei (-5.61%), Thailand (-1.5%) and Singapore (-0.6%).

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INDONESIA - New face of Nusa Dua

TTGasia.com, Nov 2 - 8, 2007

Management company for Nusa Dua, Bali Tourism Development Corporation’s (BTDC) managing director, Mr Ida Bagus Mandra, said: “Nusa Dua has developed into a lifestyle destination. Various upmarket facilities have been and are still coming up in the area to support the needs of upmarket hotel clients.”The 300-hectare landscaped area has been developed to include facilities, such as shops, restaurants, a museum and beauty clinic over the last couple of years.Mr Mandra added BTDC was also developing facilities to cater to retirees. Projects under development include an aesthetic surgery hospital, a retirement village and wellness resort to open in 2009.

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INDONESIA - A Lack of Support for Bali's Branding Efforts

Balidiscovery.com, (10/27/2007)


The Bali Post reports that the Chief of the Bali Tourism Authority, Gde Nurjaya, has complained that Bali has received "nil support" from the Central Government in Jakarta following the launch of a Bali branding campaign in June 2007.Pointing out the irony of the obvious lack of support for "Bali branding" against the repeated claim by national tourism leaders that Bali is the "locomotive" of national tourism, Nurjaya was reluctant to comment further on the lack of enthusiasm in Jakarta for Bali's new "Shanti Shanti Shanti" marketing campaign.



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INDONESIA - Bali Exposed on New Internet Television Network

pr-inside.com, 2007-10-16

The Indonesian island archipelago of Bali is receiving added exposure with the debut of the first Internet-based television station (ITV) to broadcast from the area. Bali Alive is introducing Bali's customs, tourism and businesses to the world via professionally produced television programming via the Internet. According to Chris Abbott, Head of Production of Bali Alive, he & Jason Michael Head of sales & marketing decide to create Bali Alive after frequenting this tropical paradise for over 20 years. 'We found plenty of Bali information on sites featuring lots of inactive words and pictures.

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INDONESIA - Population Pressures in Bali

Balidiscovery.com, (10/20/2007)

The Bali Post reports that Bali is becoming increasingly over-populated. While experts estimate the ideal carrying capacity for Bali's 562,286 hectares of land area is 2.4 million, a number far below the more than 3 million people who now make their home on the Island.The Regional Planning Board for Bali (BAPPEDA), Drs. Made Adijaya revealed that the current average of 600 people per square kilometer in Bali is 50% more than the ideal number of 400 residents per square kilometer. In municipal areas, such as Bali's capital of Denpasar, population loads are estimated to equal a very crowded 800 people per square kilometer.

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INDONESIA - Clouds Over the Bali Climate Change Conference?

Balidiscovery.com, (10/6/2007)

Chairman of the Bali Tourism Board, Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya, urges the government, Climate Change Conference organizers and the tourist industry to anticipate an overload of visitors to the island, since December is normally Bali's peak tourist season, reports Kompas on October 4, 2007.The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which will be held between 3-14 December, with pre-conference meetings by NGO's and experts commencing in late November, is a prestigious conference that must be organized successfully, said Ngurah Widjaja. The UNFCCC is expected to draw some 10,000 delegates. "If, say, only 7,000 delegates will attend, Bali will already be overstretched" said Wijaya. This will be the first time ever that Bali has hosted such a large number of Convention delegates. Up to now, Bali has organized a maximum of 5,000 Meeting and Conference delegates at one time. For that purpose a large number of hotels have been blocked in the resorts of Nusa Dua, Kuta and Sanur, in order to be able to accommodate all delegates.

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BALI - Bali's Airport: Between a Wet and a Soft Place

Balidiscovery.com (9/29/2007)

Indonesia's Vice President, Jusuf Kalla, conducted an inspection of Bali's air gateway while in town to open the PATA Travel Mart - accompanied by the Minister of Transportation, Syaffi Djamal, and the Minister for State-Owned Enterprises, Sofyan Djalil. Following that inspection Kalla called on PT Angkasa Pura - the company charged with managing the airport, to extend and expand the current runway. Kalla told the Bali Post: "the Ngurah Rai airport must soon be expanded. In the first phbase, the runway must be extended 600 meters. In the second phase, a new runway must be constructed." The Vice President called for an urgent construction program to be undertaken in order to permit Bali to welcome the larger, A380 aircraft within two year's time.

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