US$45 Million Condo-Hotel Project for South Bali

www.property-report.com states that a US$45 million resort is now under construction on Bali's Bukit Peninsula. The Outrigger Panorama Resort & Spa has reportedly been conceived and developed by mc2 and will be managed by Outrigger Hotels & Resort from Hawaii.

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Garuda Flies into the Black

The National News Agency Antara reports that PT Garuda Indonesia - the flag carrier of Indonesia managed to post an unaudited profit of Rp. 259 billion (US$27.8 million) for 2007. This contrasts with a loss of Rp. 197 billion (US$21.2 million) record in 2006.

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1,600 Police Officers Secure International Anti-corruption Conference

Maximum security is being applied by the National Police (Polri) for the International Anti-corruption Conference in Nusa Dua, Bali. At least 1,600 personnel are being deployed in the operation called “Sandi Puri Agung I 2008”.

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Watching Bali's Number

In an op-ed piece published in the Bali Post, a tourism commentator, who writes under the name "Gregorius," has called on Bali to pay more attention to the collection and analysis of tourism data. What follows is a free translation of Gregorius' comments from the Saturday, January 26, 2008 edition of the Bali Post.

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Soeharto Dead at 86

The man who ruled Indonesia as its second President for 33 years from 1965-1998 died shortly after 1:10 p.m. Jakarta time on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at Jakarta's Pertamina Hospital.In failing health since his ouster from power 10 years ago, Soeharto succumbed to multiple organ failure surrounded by members of his family. Despite medical reports over the past few days that the former dictator's health was improving, Soeharto's condition suddenly deteriorated on Saturday.
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Bali to Spend US$538,000 on Tourism Promotion

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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The Made Djelantik Collection

15 Paintings of the late Dr. A.A. Made Djelantik now form part of a permanent exhibit at the Museum Agung Rai in Ubud, Bali.As reported on Balidiscovery.com, the much-loved and respected Djelantik died on September 4, 2007 [See: Good-night, Sweet Prince] in Denpasar at the age of 88 after a long illness.A man of many parts, Dr. Djelantik was a member of Balinese royalty, a medical practitioner, a leading world expert on malarial disease, author and artist.

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Search Halted for Missing Students on Mount Agung

The search on Bali's Mount Agung for 2 missing students from Bandung's Widyatama University - Eko Saputra Sudirman and Yunita Indah Savitri has been halted.As reported on Balidiscovery.com, [See: 3 Students Missing on Mt. Agung] 3 trekkers went missing on December 26, 2007, with a search effort commenced on December 30, 2007. The body of one of the hikers, Muhammad Ikbal (21) was discovered by searchers on January 6th but the remaining 2 students are still missing.

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Bali to Host Bird Flu Summit

The State News Agency ANTARA reports that world experts on Bird Flu (H5N1) will gather in Bali later this year. Organized by New Fields Exhibitions, Inc., the conference will bring together companies working in the fields of Avian Influenza Prevention, scientist and government health officials. Among the topics to be discussed are prevention, planning for pandemic handling and care for those infected with the disease.

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Visa-Free Facility Proposed for 10 Countries

Travel Trade Gazette's (TTG) Mimi Hudoyo reports that the Indonesian Department of Culture and Tourism is seeking agreement to change current visa regulations to permit visa-free short visits from 10 countries.If the proposal submitted to the Ministry of Law and Human Rights is successful, the citizens of Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, U.K., Germany, France, the Netherlands and Russia would be able to undertake holiday visits without having to purchase either a 7 or 30-day visa at the Indonesian port of entry as required under the visa-on-arrival policy now in place. Currently, 63 countries are eligible to pay a fee of US$10 for a 7-day visa or US$25 for a 30-day visa.

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Jakarta Airport Service Charge to Increase?

Angkasa Pura I - the government-owned operating authorities for all Indonesian airports is seeking government approval to increase passenger service charges by 50% for Jakarta, bring charges for international passengers in line with those already in place in Bali. The Chief Director of PT Angkasa Pura II Edie Haryoto told Bisnis Indonesia that an application would also be made to the Department of Transportation to allow an increase of 50% for domestic passenger service charges and international passengers.

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New Regulations Promised for Foreign Land Ownership

The Indonesia Government is calling on notaries to exercise more caution in the issuance of property deeds of transfer in order to safeguard the nation against threats to its sovereignty, morality and sense of nationalism represented by the growing ownership of land by foreigners in Bali.

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Better Buildings for Bali's Police Force

Bali's Chief of Police, Inspector General Paulus Purwoko formally christened a new four-storey headquarters on Jalan WR Supratman in downtown Denpasar on Monday, January 14, 2008. The 2,848 square meter building costing Rp. 8.3 billion (US$892,500) was built in 180 days and houses a lobby and reception area on level one; the Directorate of Traffic (Lantas) on level two; police patrol management (Samapta) on level three; and the operation center for the anti-terror group (Densus 88) on level four.

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Indian tourists to Bali up 81 pct

The number of Indian tourists visiting Bali in the first eleven months of 2007 jumped 81.6 percent 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 Indian and Balinese peoples have many things in common," Cokorda Agung said on Wednesday. "The potential to attract more Indian tourists is very great, the more so because India will be one of the targets of the Indonesian tourism campaign to start in February 2008," he said.

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Tourism program focuses on visitor target despite 2007's miss

Despite failing to meet the tourist arrival target last year, the government said it is optimistic about reaching the targeted seven million tourists for this year's Visit Indonesia Year program.
Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said the government also wants some US$6.7 billion in foreign exchange revenue.

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Bali Hosts Conference on Fighting Corruption

Republic on Line reports that Bali will be the host of a major international conference on corruption January 28 – February 1, 2008. The Second Conference of State Parties to the United Nations Conference Against Corruption (CPS-3 UNCAC) will be held at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC) at Nusa Dua.

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

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.
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2008: A Bumper Year for Meetings in Bali

The hospitality industry in Bali is optimistic of more MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) business from Australia following the recent success of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).More than 10,000 participants from nearly 190 counties attended the two-week conference in December to discuss rising global temperatures, creating the largest conference ever held in Indonesia.

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Indonesia Air Asia to Open Bali Base

Indonesia AirAsia (IAA) have announced their intention to open an additional operational base in Bali as the next step to establishing a regional presence for the Carrier. The Chief Officer of IAA, Dharmadi, told Bisnis Indonesia that the new Bali home base will commence operations in late March 2008, serving as a turn around point for new flights planned to Darwin and Perth in Australia.

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Garuda to Re-Start Bali-Nagoya Flights

Republic on Line reports that Garuda Indonesia will continue with plans to re-commence service between Bali and Nagoya, despite the current uncertainty created in the air transportation business by surging oil prices.
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It Takes Confidence to Travel

A Nielsen survey conducted in the last quarter of 2007 polling 26,312 Internet users in 48 major markets in Europe, Asia Pacific, North America and the Middle East demonstrates growing concern over the future of the global economy; a result that may have a negative impact on the wanderlust of holidaymakers. Conducted twice every year, the Nielsen Consumer Survey gauges consumer confidence, spending habits, spending intentions and major concerns held by the world's consumers. The survey collections perceptions from the public on the job market, the status of personal finances and the readiness of consumers to part with disposable income.
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Bali`s exports exceed target

Bali province in the first eleven months of 2007 exported US$461.9 million worth of non-oil/non-gas commodities, exceeding its target of US$458.7 million for the year. "I believe the foreign exchange earnings from Bali`s non-oil/non-gas exports will be 10 percent higher than the central government-set target," Head of the Foreign Trade Division at the Bali Industry and Trade Office Ni Wayan Kusumawathi said here Tuesday. On average, handicraft, agricultural, plantation and aquatic product exports contributed US$40 million to the province`s foreign exchange coffers per month, meaning that non-oil/non-gas exports would near US$500 million at the end of last year, she said.

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Making Kuta's Streets Safe for the Public

The physical infrastructure for streets in Bali is inadequate to meet the safety requirements of pedestrians and vehicular road users. Bad road surface conditions, the lack of sidewalks, insufficient drainage, and the absence of shaded and green corridors – all contribute to Kuta's failure to meet standards of safety needed for tourist areas with high levels of pedestrian traffic.

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You Can Run, But Cannot Hide

As reported on balidiscovery.com, [A Bloody Start to the New Year] two "freelance security guards" lost their lives in gang violence outside Dee Jay Music at dawn on New Year's day in a violent altercation with local gangs. Shortly after the incident, police apprehended four suspected assailants in the attack and undertook a massive manhunt for five more suspects that concentrated search efforts in the Ubud area of Bali. Facing an "or else" surrender deadline from Bali's Chief of Police, Inspector General Paulus Purwoko, two of the five wanted men turned themselves into the police on Friday, January 11, 2008 leaving the remaining three suspects on the "most wanted" list of Bali's police force.

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Tourism Expert Calls for a Freeze on New Accommodation.

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.

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World’s Tour Guides Converge on Bali.

13th International Convention of Tourist Guides Meet in Bali January 11-16, 2009.
Some 1,000 tourist guides from around the world are expected in Bali between January 11-16, 2009, where they will participate in the 13th International Convention of the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA). Held once every two years at different locations around the world, the WFTGA provides an important forum for professional tourist guides to exchange views and information pursuant to improving the professionalism of the tour guide trade. The Bali Conference, headquartered the Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel Bali will feature workshops and training sessions presented by 25 lecturers.

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Catch a Falling Star in Bali

On Wednesday, January 2, 2008, a meteor crashed to earth near the community of Glumpang, near Sukawati in the Gianyar Regency of Bali. The meteor strike, which occurred at around 1:00 a.m. local time, was accompanied by flashes of light and loud explosions when it landed in the fields of Nyoman Miasa. The meteor created a small crater some 30 centimeters deep and one meter across, but caused no property damage or personal injury when it landed.

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3 Students Missing on Mt. Agung

Three university students from West Java remain missing after last being heard from on December 26, 2007 during a climbing expedition on Bali's sacred Mount Agung. The three – all students from the Economics faculty of STIE in Bandung, West Java, were last seen ascending a steep mountain trail on Wednesday, December 26th.

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Out of Tune in Bali

Recent press reports suggest that Malaysia's Tune Hotel Regional Services Sdn. Bhd - the hotel operations affiliate of the no-frills Air Asia, has Bali in its sights as part of a rapid expansion program to open a network of low-cost accommodation venues.

And, If the flag ship Tunes Hotel's in Kuala Lumpur is any indication of what lays ahead for Bali, then the Island will soon play host to a "very prominent" red-and-white painted building resembling a massive coca-cola can with windows (see illustration).

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The Art of Living with H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Universally recognized as both a spiritual and humanitarian leader, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has dedicated his life to spreading his vision of a violence-free and stress-free society through the reawakening of human values. Sri Sri is perpetual traveler prepared to undertake perilous journeys in his commitment to conflict resolution, disaster and trauma relief, poverty alleviation, women's rights crusading, prisoner rehabilitation, and education. He has traveled and brokered his personal gospel of peace around the world, including in Sri Lanka, Iraq, Cameroon, Kashmir and Bihar.

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RI welcomes Germans first in 2008

German couple Michel and Jennifer Franchon Bernard did not expect they would be greeted by a crew of friendly airport staff members and a Sundanese jaipongan dance troupe upon arriving at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on New Year's Day. "What a surprise. We are very happy. We never dreamed of this happening. I couldn't even sleep because of the holiday," Michel said.

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Tourist arrivals up 13.67 pct to 4.1 million

The number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia in the first eleven months of 2007 rose 13.67 percent to 4,109,831 from 3,615,739 in the same period last year, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said. The increase reflected encouraging developments particularly for those engaged in the tourism industry, BPS Deputy Chief for Distribution and Service Statistics Ali Rosidi said in a press conference here Wednesday.

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Renting a Car in Bali? Say ‘Cheese.’

Car Rental Agencies Directed by Bali Police to Know Their Customers and Retain a File Copy of Driver's Identity Papers.

In order to enhance security procedures over the busy Christmas and New Year's period, Bali's Chief of Police Inspector General Paulus Purwoko is directing that car rental agencies retain photo copies of identity papers from all rental customers. During a tour of vehicle rental agencies in Sanur, Tuban and Kedonganan, Chief Purwoko asked that photo copies of driver licenses, identity cards or passports be kept in special file to assist police authorities in tracking down renters in criminal activities involving a rented vehicle.

Source: http://www.balidiscovery.com

A Dream Industry Driven by Strong Communications

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.

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