BALI UPDATE #281 - 04 February 2002

Ping Pong: Garuda's Back in Europe

Stay Tuned: Garuda Now Says They Will Not Cancel Flight and Continue Service to Frankfurt and London with Plans to Even Add Destinations. Confused? - Read on!

A Company in desperate need of a Communications Director, Garuda Indonesia in less than a single week has publicly announced, first, that they would stop service to London and Frankfurt and, then, six days later, that these flights would be retained and that the airline would soon add new European destinations.

The surprise 180 degree change in policy was announced on Thursday, January 31, 2002, by the Airline's President Commissioner, Robby Johan, at a meeting with Bali tourism leaders and local government functionaries.

According to I Gusti Bagus Yudhara, the Chief of Bali's branch of the Association of Indonesian Travel Agents, quoted in the Bali Post, the reversal in policy was made to demonstrate "Garuda's concern for Bali tourism." Yudhara also stated that Garuda's London and Frankfurt flights would no longer stopover in Jakarta on the way to Bali, proceeding, instead, directly to the popular tourist destination. Reportedly, the only intermediate stop between these two European cities and Bali will be a brief technical layover at Singapore's Changi Airport.

Less than 6 days earlier, the marketing manager of Garuda, Marco Umbas, shocked attendees at the ASEAN Tourism Fair (ATF) in Yogyakarta, Central Java, by proclaiming that the Carrier would at least temporarily stop flying to London and Frankfurt as a necessary step to the Airline's financial survival. That announcement broad sided efforts to re-launch Indonesian tourism at the ATF and precipitated widespread anger and criticism from international wholesalers of travel to Bali.

Undeterred by what appears to be a delicate financial state-of-health for the airline and the news just 2 days before that Garuda's President Director, Abdul Gani, has resigned his post, Johan reportedly told the Bali tourism leaders during his visit that new services from Paris-Abu Dhabi-Denpasar and Milan-Abu Dhabi-Denpasar would soon be introduced.

Johan is expected to meet President Megawati Soekarnoputri, shortly, to brief her on the Airline's current status.

More information: Related Story: Garuda shrinks

Editorial: ATF Must Clean Up its Act

Fraud at this Year's ASEAN Tourism Fair was So Widespread That the Very Future of Such Events is Threatened. Typically Calling a Spade a Shovel, Our Editor Offers Some Practical Suggestions.

There were grumblings and muttered curses to be heard at this year's ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) which ended on January 28, 2002, in Yogyakarta, Central Java. Those joining this growing chorus of protest are the much beleaguered fraternity of disgruntled hoteliers, travel agents and tourism attraction operators who feel they are being "ripped off" and defrauded by unethical members of the travel industry who attend such events misrepresenting themselves as "buyers" of travel when, in fact, they are actually "sellers".

At Travel Fairs, the "Buyers are King"

One of the fundamental premises underlying travel fair operations is that the "buyers" of travel are "King". To that end, "buyers" are lavished with free or highly subsidized airfares; complimentary hotel accommodation; wined; dined; pampered; and ushered into exhibition halls where hopefull "sellers" eagerly await their visit. Buyers rent expensive booths, the proceeds of which are used to subsidize the "buyer's" many comforts. This is done in the hope of being able to sell travel products to the people who promote the packages abroad that send the world on holiday.

In short, the "sellers" pay a hefty premium to gain precious access to the "buyers" - the wholesalers and travel agents. On that count, no one's really complaining. That is how it is, has been, and - until we come up with a better scheme - how it is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

So, what's the problem?

Wolves Dressed in Sheep's Clothing

The problem emanates from unethical and unscrupulous "sellers" who should be renting expensive booth space and sharing in the subsidization of such events, but, instead, arrive posing as "buyers" in order to bypass the security systems and be allowed to range freely seeking customers or "buyers" of travel.

At the ATF just completed in Yogya, there were numerous recruitment "headhunters" looking for both candidates and potential contractors of their services; hoteliers selling rooms at their respective properties; representative companies looking for tour operators to represent "back home"; media advertising space sales people; and solely inbound local tour operators - who were not correctly registered as "sellers" but were criminally taking advantage of a process and posing as "buyers" of travel in order to circumvent their responsibility to contribute their fair share of paying the cost of the events.

Sadly, It Gets Worse

The damage done by these unscrupulous operators is further compounded when genuine "sellers" naively believe the pronouncements of the organizing committee and pay thousands of dollars to meet, in the case of ATF, "300 plus buyers," when, in fact, the number of genuine buyers minus the fraudsters is substantially less.

One example might help illustrate the problem. During the course of ATF in Yogya, I encountered one Bali inbound travel operator who all know operates as a 100% inbound travel operation to the island. Clearlt, all of this agent's "suppliers" or "sellers" are hotels and attractions based on the island, while all of his "buyers" come from areas far removed from Bali. Despite these facts, he managed to successfully pose as a "buyer" of travel and, as a result, was given complimentary hotels and free access to the event. Bemused by how easy it is to dupe the system, this agent even went through the motions of requesting pre-set appointments with potential "sellers" from across ASEAN just to keep his "pretend" role as a "buyer" consistent. This operator proudly showed me his list of appointments with hotels and tour operators who sat in expensive rented booths, waiting for appointments he had no intention of keeping.

Even the most superficial examination of this "buyers" application would have caused someone to ask why a solely inbound agent from Bali would travel all the way to Yogya to meet Bali-based sellers of travel? Obviously not. This operator came to Yogya not to meet Bali operators but to seek free access to "buyers" that his more ethical counterparts were paying great deals of money to be allowed to meet.

Given the Will, There is a Solution

Tighter control on determining who's a "buyer" and who's a "seller" is both possible and urgently needed to restore a degree of professional ethics to how the ATF is run. Here's a few practical suggestions:

- Better Screening of "Buyers". Buyers applications should not be processed unless all parts of the form are completely filled out, particularly those areas requiring the description of current markets and types of business handled. Many "buyers" were listed in this year's ATF catalog with the required company information left blank.

- More Information from "Buyers". Before "buyers" are lavished with air tickets and free or greatly discounted accommodation, the organizers should ask for details on the current total sales of each "buying" company and the number of full-time employees involved in the promotion of travel. Such information would help winnow out those travel agents whose only trip booked each year to the Orient seems to be their attendance at ATF.

- Computerize Completely the Appointment Process. Why doesn't ATF make a one time investment in a "swipe card" system that records each "buyer's" participation at hosted events and scheduled appointments? Those "buyers" who fail to attend, say, 80% of their appointments should know in advance that they will be billed for the cost of their air and hotels. Real "buyers" come to such events to work and would not object to such a process.

- Prosecute A Few of the Worse Offenders. The remedial effects of criminally prosecuting one or two of the worst cases of "buyer" misrepresentation would go a long way to resolving the problem. Two or three of these "posers" getting some subsidized additional free accommodation courtesy of the local law authorities would provide an instant incentive to help the morally challenged within the travel industry straighten up and fly right while providing a palliative to the majority who still play by the rules.

Feel free to share your comments on this subject or forward this message to ATF Secretariat at selleratf02@cbn.net.id

More information: Share your comments

Entry #5 - Bali Dream Holiday Contest

Entry Number Five in The Bali Dream Holiday Contest - another entry from Australia.

Carolyn Amor of Australia, amorce@bigpond.com.au, is this week's featured entry in the Bali Dream Holiday Contest. You have until the end of April to send your description of what you think a perfect dream holiday in Bali would be like and you might just win 2 tickets on Singapore Airlines, 7 nights at the Fours Seasons Private Estates Bali at Jimbaran Bay, tours and transfers from Bali Discovery Tours, rafting and cycling excursions from Sobek, luxurious spa treatments from Mandara Spa, a helicopter tour from Air Bali, and Cooking Lessons from Bumbu Bali/Rumah Bali.

Entry's are welcome in any format, both from veteran travelers to Bali or those who only harbor a wish to visit.

MIMPI MANIS

A breeze caresses my cheek, softly like the kiss of a butterfly.
Slowly the sounds of morning awaken my senses.
A rooster crows, a dog barks, children laugh,
someone sweeping a pathway of fallen leaves.

Soft voices carried on the warm breeze stir memories in me,
as I drift in and out of sleep.
Palm fronds sway gently above me.
Starbursts of sunlight play on golden sand.
Tiny waves like a billion sparkling jewels, lap at my feet.

Ankle deep I stand in the muddy waters of a rice paddy.
They hug the mountainside.
Watery terraces spiked with tender green shoots.
A line of white ducks marching single file, they follow the flag.

A rainforest dark and deep envelopes me.
A magnificent flower appears in my hand, 
its silken petals unfold and slip through my fingers,
spilling on the ground.
An explosion of vibrant hues, it transforms into a stunning sarong.
Voices haggling for their wares in a bustling marketplace.
Untold riches to be found.
Exotic flowers, fruit, vegetables and spices of every kind.
Fabrics of the finest silk, batik and ikat.
Smiling faces in the crowd.

And rising above the confusion below, 
A volcano shrouded in cloud and mystery.
Now a silent sentinel it stands.
A reminder of its once violent past.

The sounds of a Gamalan orchestra lead me to a Banjar.
Villagers in their finest gather.
Intricate colourful offerings lovingly prepared
Are given up the Gods.
A magnificent banyan tree shades their holy temple.
A potent mix of incense, frangipani and cloves scent the air.

In my dreams I've walked the length and breadth
Of this mystical island.
From mountains to beaches, forests, cities and tiny villages.
Sunrises and sunsets of unimaginable beauty.
I've seen contentment in the deep brown eyes 
Of a rare and beautiful people.
I've dined like a king
And made a new friend everyday.

This land across the sea
This paradise
This living ancient culture
This island of the gods.
This Bali.
Her dreams belong to me.

More information: How to Enter the Bali Dream Holiday Contest

Garuda's CEO Resigns

Abdulgani Tells Parliament Committee He Wants to Go.

Garuda Indonesia President and Chief Executive Officer, Saidan Abdulgani chose a meeting before a Parliamentary Committee on Monday, January 28, 2002, to make a surprise announcement: He was resigning as the man-in-charge at the National Carrier.

Confirming to the lawmakers that he had already submitted a letter of resignation to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises, Laksamana Sukardi the previous week, Abdulgani said that he felt that by successfully restructuring the Airline's massive debt and bringing the Company to operational profitability, he had achieved the goals set for him and it was now time to move on.

The respected manager who holds degrees from the University of Indonesia, Harvard University, and the University of Colorado, introduced a five-point program when he took the reigns in 1998 that tasked the Airline to improve operational efficiencies, improve service, grow revenues and route yields, and manage costs. Simultaneously, he succeeded in revitalizing a critically ill corporate culture repositioning the airline - both internally and externally - as a customer focused company with advertisements in the print and electronic media underlining that fact, backed up by great strides forward in on-time performance and passenger innovations.

Prior to his assignment with Garuda, Abdulgani served in management roles with a number of leading financial institutions.

Fire at La Luciolla

Popular Seminyak Dining Venue Burns. Repairs Underway.

Fire recently destroyed the kitchen of the popular beachside La Luciolla Restaurant in the Seminyak/Kerobokan Beach area of Bali.

Damage was largely contained to the restaurant's kitchen in the two story, thatched open pavilion structure known for its Italian and Mediterranean menu. The fire is attributed to a short-circuit in the restaurant's electrical system.

Repairs are expected to take approximately one month.

Abdul Aziz : 1928-2002

Bali Farewells a Versatile Adopted Son - Remembered as an Artist, a Sculptor, a Painter, and a Talented Musician.

On Tuesday, January 22, 2002, renowned Indonesian artist and Bali resident, Abdul Aziz died after being hospitalized for one week at Denpasar's General Hospital.

Born in Purwokerto in 1928, Abdul Aziz was a true renaissance man whose many skills encompassed graphic design, painting, sculptor, musical performance and violin making, Bapak Aziz's keen mind and natural artistic talent emerged in early childhood precocious drawings. During this period, musical talent also asserted itself as the young boy taught himself the violin and sang, at the age of 8 years, on the national radio network. Later, a childhood mishap in which he accidentally broke the "borrowed" violin of an older brother, compelled him to undertake emergency repairs, foreshadowing a life-long interest in violin manufacture, a serious pursuit during the last period of his life.

The recipient of 3 medals of honor from a grateful nation, including the Guerrilla Star, War of Independence I Medal, and the War of Independence II Medal, he contributed to Indonesia's fight for independence. Fittingly, his burial ceremony was marked by military guard of honor and a salvo salute at Gianyar's Cemetery.

Abdul Aziz: The Artist

Initially, Abdul Aziz's embarked on a circuitous route before finally finding his true vocation as an artist. In 1951, he studied Politics at Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta, before changing his course of study to the arts at the Indonesian Fine Arts Institute in Yogyakarta. In 1959, he received a Scholarship from the Government of Indonesia to continue his studies at the Academia Di Belle Arti in Rome, Italy, where he spent five years and was awarded the Diploma in Painting in October 1962 and the Diploma in Decoration, in October 1964. Subsequently, he served as the cultural attaché to the Indonesian Embassy in Rome from October 1964 to September 1965. On his return to Bali in 1965, he taught Materials Science, the Basics of Technical Drawing, and Illustration and Graphics, as an unsalaried tutor in the Fine Arts department of Udayana University, Bali. He resigned this job in 1980 to focus his attention on his art, developing the unique 'trompe l'oeil' style, which became his trademark.

Abdul Aziz's paintings are prized parts of the collections of leading museums both in Indonesia and abroad and highly sought after via international auctions at Christies and other leading art houses. Emblematic of Aziz's distinctive "doorway" and "window" style is his famous 1975 painting, Mutual Attraction in which the frames play the part of doorways from which two Balinese youth exchange seductive glances of courtship. This painting, together with other compositions and sculptors by Abdul Aziz, form part of the permanent collection of the Neka Museum in Ubud.

Abdul Aziz leaves his wife, Mary Northmore, the founder of the world famous Seniwati Gallery of Art by Women in Ubud.

More information: Send a Note of Condolence to Mary Northmore

An Island of Many Gods: Bali's Oasis of Calm

International Herald Tribune Article in Praise of Sayan Ridge - in Ubud's Backyard.

Sometimes the Press does get it right.

A case in point, the very excellent article on Bali appearing in The International Herald Tribune Wednesday, January 30, 2002, edition written by Michael Richardson entitled "An Island of Many Gods: Bali's Oasis of Calm."

In a remarkably thoughtful piece of writing, Richardson explores the cultural values existing in Bali that have permitted the island to preserve itself as an oasis of peace over the past period of trouble in other parts of the Indonesian archipelago. By focusing on the community of Sayan, located on the outskirts of Bali's famous art community of Ubud, the article explores how the people of Bali find harmony living on the slopes of a volcanic island populated by gods, demons, and residents from around the world representing every religious stripe.

An excellent read describing how Bali continues to thrive, even in a post 911 world. Read the International Herald Tribune via the link below.

More information: IHT's - An Island of Many Gods: Bali's Oasis of Ca

Wanted: More Japanese Visitors

Bali Inter-Continental Resorts and H.I.S. Tours Join Forces to Increase Japanese Arrivals to Bali.

Japanese arrivals to Bali have taken a significant downturn in the wake of the events of September 11 and a worsening domestic economic picture in that country.

Anxious to see the return of the Japanese market - Bali's largest source of foreign visitors, Bali Inter-Continental Resort and H.I.S. Tours & Travel recently launched a Bali promotion to the Japanese market. Reflecting a substantial financial investment, a full-page advertisement appeared in the January 22,2002, edition of the Tokyo daily newspaper Mainichi, which boasts an estimated readership of over 1.6 million. The promotion presents three packages of five, six and seven-days stay with departures through April, 20, 2002.

In addition to the special offer to the Japanese consumer, the advertisement also carried a reassuring message on the island's continuing safety as a tourist destination from Dr. Ir. I Gede Pitana, Bali Provincial Chief of Tourism.

"We are keen to see the market come back to its previous levels," stated Mr. Shantha de Silva, Director of Marketing of Bali Inter-Continental Resort. "We took the initiative and wanted to play a leading part in enhancing the market's confidence in returning to Bali."

Mr. Makoto Kokubo, President Director of H.I.S. Tours & Travel, lent his support, adding, "We want to contribute to the local society by getting more tourists coming to Bali. This is of course of great benefits for the employment, economy and sustainability of the industry as well as Bali in general."

The Bali Inter-Continental was ranked among the Top 10 Asian Resorts in a recent Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List Readers' Choice Awards.

More information: Book a Stay at The Bali Inter-Continental Resort