BALI UPDATE #336 - 24 February 2003

Bali MICE Guide 2003

Second Edition of Bali's Only Comprehensive Guide to Conferences, Exhibitions and Incentives Published Now Available.

The Bali MICE Guide 2003 has arrived. The second edition of Bali's only comprehensive guide to meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions is now being distributed worldwide to top decision makers in the travel industry.

Published by The Bali MICE Initiative and spearheaded by Bali Discovery Tours, the latest edition of the full-color handbook is 130 pages in length, some 30% larger than last year's premiere edition. Print runs were also increased for the latest edition with some 17,000 copies available to satisfy the strong demand for the book.

Attractively presented with outstanding photography on Bali, this year's guide includes detailed information of local hotels and venues together with a special section on Bali's nearest neighbor, the island of Lombok.

Free of Charge to Qualified Readers

The Bali MICE Guide 2003 is mailed without charge to qualified decision-makers in meeting and conference industry as well as be distributed at major tourism trade shows. Those involved in the decision making process for meetings and conferences are welcome to register on line via the link provided for their copy of the guide.

More information: Register on Line – Bali MICE Guide 2003

Minister Ardika Canvasses Australia

Culture and Tourism Minister Renews Ties with a Near Neighbor.

Indonesia's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. I Gede Ardika concluded a four day visit to Australia during the week of February 16, 2003, describing his visit as a "major stepping stone to success in Bali's tourism recovery."

In a visit that included stops in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, the Minister met with local leaders of tourism, aviation, government, and the media to brief them on Indonesia's progress in recovery efforts and to detail them on what Indonesia has done to improve security in the wake of the October 12^th terrorist attack in Bali.

"There is enormous support in Australia for Bali. The feeling of goodwill is present everywhere you go and I am confident that we will see this translate into increased tourist numbers through 2003. All in all, the outlook is quite encouraging," Mr. Ardika said.

Addressing the issue of security, the Minister added, "people are very impressed with the measures that have been taken to improve safety and security and there is a coordinated effort by the tourism industry and airlines with the support of the Australian Government to build tourism to Bali."

A Week of Good News

"It was certainly a week of good news for Bali in Australia. The Prime Minister, Mr. John Howard, announced that the Australian Government would fund US$ 6 million worth of improved health services for Bali. The Foreign Minister, Mr. Andrew Downer, announced he would review Australia's travel advisory on Indonesia and Bali following my meetings with him in Canberra on Tuesday (18/2)."

"At the same time, Air Paradise commenced flights to Melbourne and Perth; Qantas expressed confidence in the market; and Garuda Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to increased services as of April."

"I have also met with the leaders of the travel insurance industry and they assure me that policies are available for Bali at normal premiums. All in all, it has been a significant week for Bali."

Travel Leaders to Bali

In the week immediately following the Minister's visit to Australia, a delegation of ranking representatives from the Australian tourism industry will visit Bali within the context of increasing tourist flows to the island. A group of 20 "highly influential" people from Australia's tourism industry and government are being hosted by the Indonesian government where they will meet leaders of the tourism industry and view first-hand the safety and security situation in Bali.

Sammy Carolus Thailand Bound

Bali Hyatt's Director of Marketing Accepts Sales Role in Hua Hin.

Sammy Carolus the popular Director of Marketing at the Bali Hyatt will soon end a 10 year residency in Bali when he accepts the job as Director of Marketing at the Hyatt Regency in Hua Hin, Thailand.

Sammy's new appointment in Thailand is effective February 23, 2002.

More information: Send Sammy a Note of Congratulations!

Radisson Brand Departs Indonesia

5 Radisson Hotels in Indonesia to be Re-branded 01 April.

Effective April 1, 2003, the five hotels currently operating under the Radisson brand name will be relaunched under a new national hotel brand - Prime Plaza Hotels & Resorts.

Accordingly, the two Radisson hotels in Bali will be renamed as the Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel and the Sanur Paradise Plaza Suites.

Although Radisson's affiliation with the five Indonesian properties will come to an end on April 1^st, ownership and the management teams in place at the properties will remain unchanged with Prime Plaza Hotels & Resorts' corporate managers promising "Same smile, New name and Even better service."

Existing contracts and agreements with corporate and wholesale customers remain unchanged by the change in management company.

SKAL Bali Elects New Slate of Officers

Bali Travel Leaders Selected to Lead Bali Branch.

SKAL International Bali have elected their executive officers for 2003-2004.

Leading the organization as President for the coming year is well-known local hotelier Chris Green of The Villas with Geoffrey Wibisono, the Director of Marketing for the Bintang Ramada Resort, service as the organization's Vice-President.

In the picture shown at balidiscovery.com are the executive officers of SKAL International Bali for 2003-2004. Seated (left to right): Geoffery Wibisono, Vice President; Chris Green, President; and Gede Juwena, Executive Secretary. Standing (left to right): Joanne Salimun, Secretary; Al Purwa, Auditor; LeeAnn Winch, Programs; Chris Maclean, Auditor; Sybil Baldauf, Communications; and Goestamar Adibrata, Membership Development.

SKAL International, is the world's largest international professional tourism industry organization, and aims to foster goodwill and understanding among more than 25,000 members in more than 550 clubs worldwide. SKAL International Bali has about 50 active members.

Three Weeks in Bali

Photo Contributions Sought for Follow Up Edition to Book on Bali Bombing.

In December, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) published an account of the Bali bombing written by the Adelaide based ABC reporter and producer, Alan Atkinson who was vacationing in Bali with his wife and two children on the fatal night of October 12, 2002.

The first Australian reporter on the scene, Atkinson's book relates his experience as part of an ABC team that provided extensive coverage for the ten days following the tragedy. The book "Three Weeks in Bali" is available on line from the ABC Shop.

Photos Sought for Follow-on Editions

Plans are now advancing for worldwide distribution of the book, including a bi-lingual Indonesian edition and a commemorative photo exhibition to complement the book.

With a small grant for the project promised by the Bali Tourism Authority, a call for suitable photos is now being issued. The editors underline that they are not looking for graphic depictions of the tragedy but are more interested in images depicting the pre- or post-blast fire scene, humanitarian efforts in the aftermath, poignant and emotional family and victim encounters, the numerous ceremonies, survivors, victims' families, hospital scenes, and economic impact.

All shots must be in black and white in a digital format of maximum 150 pixels with a maximum file size of 500KB. Hard copies of black and white shots in a 4R format are also welcome.

Compensation to be discussed with the publishers of each edition.

For more information contact Ms. Debe Campbell at The Works at telephone ++62-(0 361-423596 or e-mail The Works.

Garuda Looks to a Mid Year Recovery

June-July Earmarked as Return to Near Normal Operations.

Garuda Indonesia's President Director, Indra Setiawan, is targeting June of 2003 as a time when he expects his airline's cash flows and passenger numbers to begin operating at near normal levels. In comments made to the press following the meeting of the Indonesia National Air Carriers' Association (INACA) on Friday, February 21, 2003, and quoted in the Indonesian-language daily Kompas, Setiawian said he was hopeful that Garuda would end the current year by achieving a profit of Rp. 570 billion (approximately US$ 64 million) against total revenues of Rp. 12 trillion (approximately US$ 1.348 billion).

Garuda's load factors were badly affected by the downturn in passenger totals following the October 12, 2002, terror attack on Bali and the series of travel advisories issued by a number of nations for their citizen considering a holiday in Bali. That situation saw the airline drastically reduce their flight frequencies to Australia, Japan, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and London. In recent weeks Garuda has begun to reintroduce services to many of those markets, while refocusing its marketing efforts to Asia by adding new flights to the People's Republic of China.

For the Record: 'No, Minister.'

National Travel Leaders Unite in Their Opposition to Changes in Visa Policy Via an Open Letter to Justice Minister.

Efforts led by Indonesia's Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, to remove the visa-on-arrival facility extended to the nationals of 48 countries is the focus of unified opposition by the leader of three national tourism associations via an open letter published in the Friday, February 21, 2003 edition of the English-language Jakarta Post.

That letter, signed by Mr. Alistair Spears the Chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Indonesia Chapter; Mr. George Benney, the Chairman of the Jakarta International Hotels Association (JIHA); and Ms. Meity Robot, the President of the Association of Indonesian Tour Operators Association (ASITA) is quoted in its entirety below:

Visa-on-Arrival Policy

"We, in the tourism industry, read with some trepidation the recent reporting of the minister of justice's plan to change the visa-on-arrival policy, possibly eliminating the free visa for certain countries, including the U.S.A. and Australia.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra hopes that the tourism industry should support his view of the unfairness of certain countries' visa regulations towards Indonesia. We regret that we are unable to support such a decision – based primarily on well understood and shared emotions – which would surely result in serious economic consequences for the hard working people of this country.

Our industry, including the hotel association (JIHA), travel agents (ASITA), and airlines has thoroughly examined this situation, and has concluded from careful research that any change in the current tourist visa policy would lead to a drop in both leisure and business arrivals, possibly as severe as 25 percent, i.e. over one million tourists a year.

At this point in time, such a move would cripple the valuable efforts from both the government and private sector to bring tourists back to Indonesia, especially in Bali, which is still in deep recession.

Our analysis concludes that the biggest loser in the situation would be human resources, since the revenues from tourist arrivals go far beyond the hotel to shops, restaurants, transportation companies and even farmers. Every individual visitor who cancels their planned visit could mean one person unemployed. A downturn of one million tourists (20 percent) means one million unemployed. This is simply unacceptable.

We appeal to Minister Mahendra to take serious note of this and not jeopardize the lives of our people.

We would rather have Australians coming here to keep Bali alive, than to travel to Australia ourselves. We all have our pride, but let's think practically.

Please reconsider this ill-advised action, at least until such a time as tourist arrivals are back on target.

Indonesia must be able to compete actively with other major tourist destinations within the ASEAN region, which are spending millions of dollars – and have free visa policies – to encourage foreign tourism.

There are plenty of other places for travelers to visit, and the people of Indonesia will simply lose their livelihoods to neighboring countries. Now is not the right time to make any changes, especially to the visa-on-arrival policy."

More information: Related Story: It Just Doesn't Add Up

BIWA Bazaar Set for March 9

Funds Raised to Support Bali Recovery Activities.

Bali International Women's Association(BIWA) will be hosting the 9^th BIWA Bazaar at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC) on Sunday, March 9, 2003. BIWA is a non-profit organization and social forum for the women of Bali and supports various local charities.

Postponed due to last year's terrorist bombing, the 9^th annual BIWA Bazaar is expected to attract families looking to shop for bargains, enjoy local entertainments, and assist a number of local charities. This year's event is being held in conjunction with International Women's Day which falls on March 8, 2003, and will take place at the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua.

The goals for the event are helping underprivileged children in Bali, assisting the victims of AIDS/HIV, the prevention of that disease, and general support of Bali's ailing economy. Over one hundred local companies will take part in the Bazaar, representing the island's leaders in tourism, fashion, and handicrafts. Special events will be organized for the children with prizes, games and competitions slated throughout the day.

Local celebrities, including Baby Jim Aditya and Irma Hutabarat will appear while DJ Emon and well known vocalist Marilyn will perform throughout the day.

Over 90 gift vouchers have been donated, including accommodation packages and airline tickets. A silent auction is also planned.

Seniwati Exhibition

BIWA in cooperation with Mary Northmore of Seniwati Gallery have organized an exhibition by a group of young international women painters living on Bali in order to promote women and the arts and to mark International Women's Day. Two paintings from the exhibition have been donated to the auction to be held during the Bazaar.

Tickets Now Available

Festivities begin from 12 noon on Sunday, March 9, 2003, at the BICC, Sheraton Nusa Indah, Nusa Dua.

Admissions tickets are Rp. 30,000 each, with children under 10 years free of charge. For more information and ticket sales, contact info@biwabali.com or call the BIWA Center at ++62-(0)0361-287250.

More information: BIWA Website

3,000 Police to Guard Bombing Trials

Tight Security Promised for Bali Bombing Trials.

The Bali Bombing Trials, expected to get underway in early March, will be guarded by 3,000 police officers assigned to ensure security at the trials including the elite mobile brigade, intelligence officers and anti-bomb squads.

Police will reportedly focus their efforts on providing for the safety of the accused, their legal teams, and the prosecutors and judges who will decide the case. Special screening equipment will be installed at the location of the trial while police have promised to place all seaports and the airport leading to Bali under heavy scrutiny during the period leading up to and during the entire course of the trial.

Because of the limitation of space in Bali's main court house, it is widely believed that the cases will be heard at the Gedung Wanita Nari Graha, in downtown Denpasar (Renon), where additional fencing and security features are being installed in anticipation of the trial expected to draw worldwide press and media interest.

Live TV Broadcasts

To meet the expected high level of public interest, Bali TV, a local television channel, has been invited to broadcast the proceedings live.

Bali Bombing Press Central

Radisson Hotels and Bali Discovery Tours have established a press center at the Radisson Bali Hotel, the closest international standard hotel to the venue for the trials, to facilitate the national and international press covering the trials.

More information: Bali Bombing Trials - Press Support Center

See You in Berlin!

Despite the Looming Threat of War, Tourism Minister Says Indonesia to Attend ITB in Berlin.

Despite the looming threat of war in the Middle East, Indonesia's Minister of Culture and Tourism Mr. Gede Ardika has stated that Indonesia will push ahead with plans to appear at The International Tourism Exchange (ITB) to be held in Berlin, March 7-11, 2003.

While stating that he hoped current war plans by the United States against Iraq do not come to fruition, Minister Ardika told the National news agency Antara that, "whatever happens, (our) promotion in Berlin (ITB) will go ahead, except in the event that the German government outlaws over flights, in which case none of the other international delegates will be in attendance."

Citing ITB as one of the world's largest annual travel industry events, he termed the event as an opportunity for Indonesia's tourism industry to promote their products to the world travel market that must be used by national operators competing for business with other Asian destinations.

International Tourism Exchange - ITB

ITB is one of the leading trade fairs for the global tourism industry drawing thousands of travel industry representatives to Berlin each year. Airlines, hotels, resorts, cruise lines, attractions and tour operators gather in Berlin each year for the communication and marketing of their respective travel products.