(2/14/2011)
The future status of the Bali Tourism Board (BTB) will be determined before the end of February.
Government regulations require the formation of an Indonesian Tourism Association (Gabungan Industri Pariwisata Indonesia – GIPI) to cooperate with the government in tourism promotion in the province. In a planned meeting of the BTB later this month, discussions will be held on the formation of a GIPI in Bali and if that organization will replace or absorb the BTB.
"We do not yet know the fate of the BTB, whether it will be preserved or if it will be absorbed into the GIPI," said Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya, quoted in Bisnis Bali on February 11, 2011, following a meeting with the head of the Bali Tourism Office (Kadiparda), Ida Bagus Kade Subhisku.
According to Wijaya, there is disagreement within the ranks of BTB on whether or not to transform the BTB into the GIPI.
The vice chairman of the BTB, Bagus Sudibya, who also attended the February 11th meeting, told the press, "Bali must soon form the GIP as the legitimate body for tourism promotion."
Privately, he said the agrees with the transformation of the BTB into GIPI as the functions of both organizations are similar.
Bali is now late in addressing the legal requirement to create a GIPI body, with legislation mandating that the body be established by the latest in mid-January 2011.
Under the tourism law of 2009. the GIPI must be set up to undertake joint promotion with the government of national tourism.
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