BALI UPDATE #273 - 10 December 2001

It Pays to Dream

2^nd Bali Dream Holiday Contest Launched. Win A Dream Holiday to Bali!

7 Nights in a millionaire's bungalow at the Four Seasons Private Estates Bali at Jimbaran Bay, return air fare to Bali from any on-line station from Singapore Airlines, tours and transfers from Bali Discovery Tours, bicycle and white water safaris from SOBEK, and Balinese cooking classes from award-winning Chef Heinz von Holzen of Bumbu Bali - all part of a Bali Dream Holiday to be awarded to a reader of Bali Update.

All You Have to Do is Dream ... Dream ... Dream!

To enter just describe your idea of a perfect Bali Dream Holiday in 300 words or so. Weekly selections will be posted in the Bali Update starting in January 2002 through the end of April, with the winner announced in the first week of May, 2002.

Never been to Bali? - Don't let that stop you from entering! After all, we're talking dreams here which means you can base your entry on an actual holiday in Bali or search the Internet, your library or local travel agent for background in designing your dream trip to Bali.

To read all the contest details, link to the contest sponsors, and to read last year's winning submission click below!

More information: The Bali Dream Holiday Portal

Fear's the Foe

Senior Industry Representatives See Current Slump as a 'Crisis of Faith.'

Would you like to make a significant personal contribution to the ongoing 'War on Terror?' - Want to frustrate those despicable lower life forms who engineered the events of September 11 and who now take perverted delight in a world economy maimed by their deeds? - Are you ready to fight back?

The answer is simple and at hand: just take a trip.

That's what the senior representatives of Singapore Airlines, the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), the Association of Indonesian Travel Agents (ASITA), the starred hotel association of Bali - Casa Grande, provincial tourism officials, and the Chief of Police for Bali who participated in a dialogue with invited members of the international press at Bali's International Convention Center (BICC) on Wednesday, December 5, would like you to do. Preferably, with Bali as your destination.

Speaking with hosted journalists from Denmark, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Germany and Greece, it was generally concluded that the current downturn in international travel was essentially a "Crisis of Faith." Echoing this view were comments from Mr. Gerry Oh, Vice President of Marketing Communications for Singapore Airlines who called on every element of the international travel industry to join forces to get the word out to the international press that destinations like Bali remain absolutely peaceful and safe for international travelers. Fellow participants in the assembled panel all underlined to the journalists that Bali has consistently maintained a safe and positive environment for travelers from all countries.

Moderating the session was Mr. A.A. Gde Rai of the Bali Tourism Board who indicated that discussions are underway to consider launching a petition campaign aimed at President George Bush and calling on his government to follow the example of many other developed countries who acknowledge the uninterrupted prevailing peace and calm in Bali. Currently, U.S. citizens are advised to defer travel to all of Indonesia, ignoring that many areas remain perfectly safe for American tourists, a move that has badly affected tourism flows on the island.

In separate comments to the local press, Mr. Rico Yahya of the PHRI has hinted that a prolonged slump in hotel occupancies in Bali, lasting into 2002, could result in the loss of 15,000-20,000 job in Bali's hotel industry alone.

Meanwhile, officials at Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport have reported that passenger through flows, which average 6,000 per day, are now below the 2,000 mark.

In Praise of Mangos

It's Mango Season. Our Editor will be Spending Lots of Time in the Bathroom. But Not for the Reasons You Think.

It's a most wonderful time of year to be in Bali.

The rains have finally come. The garden's growing so fast that my gardener, Wayan, can barely keep up. Once the rain starts, I eagerly await the annual infestation of houseflies. That's right: house flies. For when the house flies invade its always a sure-fire sign that the many mango trees around my house are in full bloom, their branches heavily laden with my favorite fruit.

While others fill their hours buying gifts for the coming Islamic Lebaran and Christian Yuletide - I, instead, disappear for long periods only offering the excuse "gone mango shopping." For me, no rainy season is complete unless I manage to "fill" my shopping list for golek, harum manis and mana lagi - just several of the many delicious varieties of mangifera indica to be found in supermarkets and roadside fruit stalls at this time of year. In fact, such is my love of the mango, that I ask almost everyone I meet if they'll be traveling to Banjarmasin in Kalimantan (Borneo) - home to the dark-purple katsuri mango, specific to that area and considered the very best of the species.

Indonesia harvests nearly a half-million tons of mangos during their limited season each year. I am told, that at the height of the season a good negotiator can sometimes secure mangos for less than Rp. 5,000 (US$ 0.50) a kilo. Sadly, I always pay at least twice that amount, unable to feign the required disinterest of an accomplished mango purchaser. Pathetically, I succumb to my mango infatuation at the very sight of the fruit, cooing over and cuddling the mounds of mangos on offer.

The mango was probably first brought to Bali by Buddhist monks from India sometime around the 5th century B.C.. Early texts tell of how the Lord Buddha sought solace meditating in mango groves. Propagated throughout Asia, the mango was then brought to the Middle East by Persian traders and eventually South America by the Portuguese.

Rich in vitamin C and A, and an excellent source of dietary fiber, the mango is known to have anti-viral, anti parasitic, anti-septic, cough suppressive, expectorant, contraceptive, aphrodisiac laxative and cardio tonic properties.

I ask: How can anything that good for you also taste so good?

But, there's more! Mangos contain comforting enzymes that not only tenderize meat but are proven to soothe the human spirit with feelings of peace and contentment.

The Best Way to Eat a Mango

I am told that my near-fanatical search for mangos during their limited seasons renders me even more lacking in social graces than normal. Is that possible? Yet, given the choice of convivial human company or the solitary delights of eating a ripe mango - I'll vote for the fruit every time. After all, friends tend to be perennial; mangos are seasonal.

If this 'king' of fruit has any drawbacks it must be that the moist "dripping" bounty of the mango tree can create havoc with any standards of sartorial neatness. Accordingly, I am known to disappear for entire afternoons into my bathroom, jealousy guarding my horde of just purchased juicy, sweet mangos. For, as any dedicated mango maniac will confirm, the only way to truly savor a mango is naked in your bathtub.

The Balancing Act

Minister Ardika Examines the 'Balancing Act' Between Modernity and Traditional Culture Conservation.

Indonesia's Minister of Culture and Tourism feels that cultural conservation efforts undertaken to date have focused too much on physical preservation aspects, when the real emphasis should be on "total conservation" - the safekeeping of the values of the local community in conjunction with the protection of its physical heritage.

Speaking at a seminar entitled "Architectural Training and Concern for Conservation" organized by a local heritage preservation group on December 1, 2001, in Bali, the Minister explained that in the face for global openness, Indonesia must struggle to maintain the individual identity of each of the Country's regional areas. Invoking the national motto of "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" or "Unity in Diversity" as a guiding principle, the Minister called on each province of Indonesia to seek out those unique qualities of the local community's character for preservation.

Using his native Bali as an example, Minister Ardika described the difficult "balancing act" between the desire to accept modernity and a no less powerful desire to protect the island's local identity.

A Village Based Model for Development

Minister Ardika explained how a village-based approach - such as that found in many European communities - offers a possible path for Indonesian tourism development.

The Indonesian village development model was first launched in 1990 and provides for the orderly development of villages in line with standards that preserve traditional architectural values. Local community members without the involvement of outside investors, he added, must manage such an approach. "If investors (from outside) become involved, the (local) people will be defeated with nothing to show for themselves," the Minister said. (Kompas)

Australian Travel Writers Visit Bali

Oz's Leading Travel Writers Accept Invitation to See Bali First Hand.

The Committee of Australian Society of Travel Writers, a group of seven led by its President Lee Mylne, visited Bali in late November to familiarize themselves with the safety and security situation in Indonesia.

Hosted at the Hard Rock Hotel in Kuta, the group also visited other parts of Indonesia after their Bali meeting on post-trips hosted by Garuda Indonesia.

While in Bali, the Committee was addressed by the Australian Consul General for Bali and Lombok, Mr. Ross Tysoe, who assured them that Indonesia was 100 per cent safe and secure. "It is our role here to inform and assist the Australian traveler to Indonesia about all manner of things and safety and security is a high priority. We would not be doing our job properly if we were not regularly posting safety reports with DFAT," he said.

During post meeting inspections the participants split visiting either the Serai Hotel in East Bali, The Oberoi Resorts in Seminyak and Lombok, and the Shangri-La in Surabaya for a visit to historic Mount Bromo.

Summarizing the sentiments of the writers who joined the trip, President Lee Mylne said, "It is easy to understand why Bali and the rest of Indonesia is such a popular destination for Australians. The value and diversity coupled with the friendly smiling locals is a definite draw card."

Wiratha Says Government Both Deaf & Blind

Bali's Outspoken Hotel & Restaurant Association Chief Says Government Neglects Tourism.

In a report carried in the Saturday, December 8, 2001 edition of the Indonesian language Bali Post, Indonesian Hotel & Restaurant Association Bali Chapter (PHRI) Chairman, Mr. I Gde Wiratha, said it was "ironic" that the Government has no budget for the promotion of tourism - despite that sector's position as the second leading source of foreign exchange.

Insisting that it was the responsibility of the Provincial Government of Bali and the Minister of Culture and Tourism to fight for such funding - especially for Bali, which is overwhelmingly dependent on tourism earnings, the outspoken local tourism leader depicted the Government as being both "blind and deaf" when it comes to tourism matters. He added that while the private sector has undertaken various efforts to restore the Island's tourism industry, the Government has failed to allocate a special promotional budget in the face of the worldwide crisis in tourism in the aftermath of the events of September 11.

Mr. Wiratha described the suddenly greater role played by Asian markets in Bali's tourism mix as a new opportunity for the island. With Asian travelers looking for new tourism destinations closer to home, he said, Bali must increase its efforts to preserve its unique culture while at the same time opening up "new destinations" away from Bali's traditional tourism centers in the southern part of the Island. He explained how a more geographically widespread and equitable distribution of tourism revenues on the island would provide an automatic incentive for people in remote regions to preserve their local cultures. He added, "Invite tourists to Lovina, Tulamben and other remote areas, stop telling (tourists) to pile-up in south Bali. To achieve this, these (remote) areas must be opened for tourism."

Bali's Newest Hotel Opens

Accor's Mercure Kuta to Open December 15, 2001.

Accor have announced the opening of the Mercure Kuta Bali Hotel, effective December 15, 2001.

A 130-room property, this new hotel is located adjacent to Bali's Hard Rock Hotel - at the very center of Kuta's beach and shopping activities. The hotel features rooms with balconies and a roof of facilities including a restaurant, swimming pool and a traditional spa.

Built around a tropical courtyard, the Mercure Kuta Bali offers meeting facilities for up to 60 participants.

The latest addition to Bali's hotel scene brings to 27 the number of properties managed by Accor in Indonesia. Mr. Gerard Guillouet, Accor's Director of Operations for Indonesia, in commenting on the latest addition to the Company's largest single collection of properties under a single brand in Indonesia, said, "the fact Mercure Bali is opening this December, when the global tourism industry is facing one of its biggest challenges ever, indicates the confidence Accor has in Indonesia."

The Kuta resort is managed by Ms. Virginia Sandstrom.

Tourism Target Finally Lowered

Tourism Department Finally Admits Original Targets for 2001 Must be Lowered. 'My Indonesia' Smile Campaign launched.

Indonesia's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. I Gde Ardika has finally relented, admitting that the foreign exchange target of US$ 5.3 billion will not be reached in 2001.

Pointing to the after-effects of the events of September 11 in the U.S.A., the Minister noted how nation-wide arrivals increased by only 2.8% for September and dropped by 15.81% in October. As a result, the Government has finally relented, reducing arrival targets for 2001 from 5.4 million to 5.2 million visitors. Assuming the reduced target is achieved, this would still represent a 3% improvement over total arrivals for the year 2000.

In order to rebuild Indonesia's tourism arrivals, Indonesia has launched a new TV advertising campaign now airing on CNN, BBC and other media. The campaign, My Indonesia: Just a Smile Away, features eleven year old singing sensation Sherina in dramatic musical setting filmed across the archipelago.

Reportedly, some 550 sixty-second spot ads have been booked on CNN and 280 similar spots on the BBC featuring the "My Indonesia" campaign.

Bali Discovery Tours a Top Producer to Lombok

Bali Discovery Tours Named Among Top Agents Sending Guests to the Oberoi Resort Lombok.

At an travel industry appreciation night held at the Bali Oberoi Resort, on Friday, December 7, 2001, Bali Discovery Tours was named a top producing agency for The Oberoi Resort Lombok.

The prestigious award was presented by the Resort's General Manager, Mr. John Halpin, to Bali Discovery Tour's President Director, Mr. John M. Daniels.

Located on beautiful Medana beach on the North west coast of Lombok island, just across the Lombok Straits from Bali, The Oberoi Resort Lombok is an idyllic beach resort with health spa which opened in early 1997.

The 50 luxurious villas and terrace pavilions are set in 24 acres of tranquil, tropical gardens along 550 meters of golden sand beach. All are thatch-roofed and air-conditioned with elegant bedrooms, marble bathrooms and private terraces. Some villas have private swimming pools.

More information: Book a Stay at The Oberoi Lombok