Archive for December, 2007
During the Annual Bali’s Best Restaurant and Bar Awards 2007, Bali Dynasty Resort’s have once again received great awards by the readers of Hello Bali Magazine which is the leading English-language lifestyle, culture, entertainment magazine in Bali. The magazine has a heavy emphasis on dining and bars and is the official magazine of the Bali Tourism Board.
The Award presentation took place at the sophisticated Sofitel Seminyak on the 30th November 2007. The Awards were announced by Indo Multi Media’s Managing Director, Mr. Alistair G. Speirs and the awards were presented by Hello Bali’s Editor, Mr. James Watling.
There were 3 categories that the Bali Dynasty Resort won.
In the category of Bali’s Best Chinese Restaurant 2007 the Bali Dynasty Chinese restaurant, Golden Lotus Restaurant received the award for the 3rd time. Golden Lotus Restaurant offers the finest Cantonese, Szechuan cuisine’s and Dim Sum lunch and is open for lunch and dinner. The delightful atmosphere of the private rooms compliments that important business gathering or special occasion.
Bali’s Best Bar 2007 has been awarded to Gracie Kelly’s Irish Pub which is located at the lower lobby of Bali Dynasty Resort. This is also the third time in a row that this award has been won by Gracie Kelly’s. Gracie Kelly’s is open for lunch and dinner, the menu is affordable and offers traditional home cooked meals including Beef and Guinness pie, Cork Chicken and Mushroom Pie, Fish and Chips and many other favourites. There is a good range of beers including Kilkenny and Guinness as well as all your favourite cocktails.
Our Sunset Bar ranked as number two for the best Sunset Venue Bar category. The Sunset Bar is the perfect venue to unwind with friends and family and is located next to the main pool.
The awards are based solely on votes from Hello Bali Magazine readers. Response to this year’s readership poll was impressive, with over 1050 voting forms submitted via post, fax and online.
“We would like to thank all of the guests and readers of Hello Bali Magazine who voted for our 3 outlets and made our awards possible. These awards encourages our staffs commitment and enthusiasm to giving a high standard of service to our guests”, commented Robert Kelsall – General Manager of Bali Dynasty Resort.
The Bali Dynasty Resort is located in South Kuta, Tuban – Bali and is one of Bali’s premiere resorts for couples and families, located in the relaxed atmosphere of South Kuta. The unique layout allows for a subtle but effective division between the couples market and the family market. Couples can enjoy the famous Gracie Kelly’s Irish Pub, relax at the adults only Lazy Pool, enjoy a treatment at the Spa Villa at affordable prices and utilize the Exercise Room at no charge. Bali Dynasty Resort has five bars and restaurants to suit all budgets with nightly entertainment. A complimentary air conditioned Departure Lounge is ideal for late departures and offers showers, lockers and catering options.
The Dynasty also has a very high returnee factor and all returning guests receive value added vouchers as an appreciation for their loyalty.
Source: http://www.etravelblackboard.com/
December 18th, 2007
Balidiscovery - Chelsea Butler, who together with her boyfriend Scott McGregor, serve as model on the top-rated Australian game show Temptation is adding her own brand of temptation to Bali’s beaches during the downtime between shooting the Channel 9 show.
Appearing for the past 2.5 years on the show which is the successor to Sales of the Century, Chelsea told Ralph men’s magazine, “dying to get there (Bali), lay on the beach, drink cocktails and get brown.”
It’s unclear if her beau and co-star Scott is also traveling to the Island to ensure adequate sun screen get’s applied to all the right places.
Source: http://my-indonesia.info/
December 17th, 2007
The Bali conference did not let the world down. Showing a new resolve to handle climate change, the delegates of 190 nations agreed in Bali on Saturday to hammer out a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol by 2009.
Herculean as the task may be, crafting a replacement must be done in the next two years. The process should include a timetable and agenda for action. The 2009 deadline for drafting a new treaty was intended to give countries enough time to ratify it by 2010, when the Kyoto Protocol expires.
It is hoped the deal struck in Bali will save the Earth from the devastations of global warming.
The so-called Bali roadmap recognizes the need for international cooperation. It highlights the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities as the basis for future cooperation on common action against climate change, including the setting of targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Negotiators should consider binding reductions of gas emissions by industrialized countries, while developing countries should consider moves to control the growth of their emissions. Richer countries should work to transfer climate-friendly technology to poorer nations.
The deal represents a breakthrough in ending the standoff between the United States and the rest of the world. The US will be involved in the new negotiations on climate change.
The US, the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, never ratified the Kyoto Protocol. As a result, the world has been left wondering whether that country will live up to its obligations. It cannot exempt itself from taking responsibility because the roadmap reaffirms that all developed countries are obliged to reduce gas emissions measurably, accountably and verifiably.
Three key points that had been ignored in previous international negotiations were added to the Bali roadmap. They are: technology development and transfers, financial resources and adaptation strategies for countries dealing with the negative effects of climate change.
There is a need for cooperation on technology, joint research and development and access to know-how, as well as for support for the development of technology by developing countries.
Close cooperation in capacity building and joint research and development will facilitate regional and global efforts to address climate change.
Source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/
December 17th, 2007
Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA News) - The government has allocated Rp150 billion for tourism promotion in 2008, compared to promotion funds in 2007 which stood at Rp100 billion.
“We proposed Rp200 billion for promotion funds for tourism, but probably we will get only Rp150 billion,” Tourism and Culture Minister Jero Watjik said here Monday on the sideline of a seminar on the impact of climate change on Indonesian tourism.
He said the amount of Indonesia`s tourism promotion funds was far below those of other countries such as Malaysia which provided some Rp800 bilion for the purpose.
But despite the relatively small amount of promotion funds, the ministry had set itself the target of attracting at least seven million foreign tourists a year.
Some strategies have been made involving private sector such as hotel operators, to improve promotion to potential markets.
Hotels and other tourism operators are expected to provide brochures, VCD and others to promote Indonesian tourism abroad, the minister said.
Foreign tourist visit in Indonesia as of October has reached four million, while the target during 2007 was set at six million.
Watjik expressed optimism that the target could be reached with conducive security situation in the country.(*)
Source: ANTARA News
December 14th, 2007
Wednesday, 12th December 2007
Source : Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels
Hotel investors and operators are showing a renewed interest in Bali as inbound tourism to the island continues to rebound strongly, according to Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels.
Mr Craig Collins, Managing Director Investment Sales Asia, commented, “Bali is red-hot at the moment. Preliminary statistics from top-tier hotels are indeed indicating a positive trend for October with year-on-year occupancy levels around 70%, and strong RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room) growth exceeding 80% for many hotels over the same period last year.”Â
Bali has recently seen a launch of a number of luxury products, indicating the renewed interest in the five-star resort, villa and serviced apartment sectors.
“We are also seeing previously unrepresented hospitality brands now making an entrance driven largely by record-high visitor arrivals and the fast growing MICE (meeting, incentive, conference and events) market,” added Mr Collins.
New entrants with developments underway include well-known brands such as St. Regis, W Hotels, Banyan Tree and Anantara.
Latest official tourism statistics provided by the Pacific Asia Travel Association show that inbound tourism to Bali is rebounding strongly with foreign visitor arrivals of 1.4 million arrivals over the first ten months of this year, up 34% year-to-date.
The continuing improvement in air access and the obvious benefits of the visa-on-arrival policy have contributed to strong growth particularly from newer markets such as China, India, Russia and the Middle East.
The proliferation of regional low-cost airlines (LCC) has also opened up the island to travellers from ASEAN destinations and the key source markets of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. The ASEAN Open Sky policy that is due to take effect in 2009 will first involve air routes between capital cities, with regional destinations coming online most probably from 2011.
“The long-held appeal of this popular international tourist destination is drawing visitors back, and investors and operators are certainly keen on Bali’s excellent growth potential,” added Mr Collins.
“Efforts by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to actively promote MICE events in Indonesian gateway destinations will also play a key role in establishing Bali as a competitive meeting destination and help sustain the recent upturn in occupancy levels,” commented Mr Collins.
Bali is currently hosting some 10,000 delegates from over 180 nations for the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Source: http://www.4hoteliers.com/
December 14th, 2007
BENOA, Bali (JP): Hotels in Bali, working together with environmental organization Greenpeace, launched Tuesday an energy efficiency program aimed at promoting responsible and climate friendly tourism on the resort island.
Greenpeace Southeast Asia Climate and Energy Campaigner, Shailendra Yashwant, said the program, called “Switch off, Unplug, Enjoy – Energy Efficient Bali”, set an ambitious target of lowering hotel electricity consumption by 40 percent within a year.
“We are very ambitious, but it is very possible to achieve,” Shailendra said.
The program was launched aboard the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior, currently docked in Benoa Harbor off Nusa Dua, where the United Nations conference on climate change is underway.
Environment Minister, Rachmat Witoelar, welcomed the initiative. “Undoubtedly, like any other sector, tourism potentially contributes to the problem of climate change. On the understanding that everyone must do their share to reduce our collective carbon footprints, the Indonesian government welcomes this Greenpeace initiative to kick-start a conscious effort to help offset some of the problems associated with inefficient energy use,” he said.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) says international tourism contributes some 5 percent to global carbon emissions. Based on UNWTO tourism market forecast, if no mitigation measures are taken, the industry’s carbon emissions could grow by 150 percent in the next 30 years.
Greenpeace has surveyed 15 hotels in Nusa Dua, Bali, under the program, to see their existing energy and environmental conservation practices.
“There are a lot of things that can be improved, such us using renewable energy for power sources. Even though the sun shines all year round, hotels here do not use solar power water heaters,” Shailendra said.
Sulistyowati, deputy assistant to Environment Minister for the impacts of climate change affairs, says hotels in Indonesia, including in Bali, have not been energy efficient.
“The designs of the hotels should be made in a way that could save energy. The more windows, for instance, the less energy will be spent on lights and air conditioning,” she said.
She added that the latest study on hotels’ contribution to global warming showed that lighting accounted for 70 percent of their contribution, compared to water (12 percent), greenhouse gasses (30 percent) and waste (65 percent).
Data from the Bali office of state electricity company, PLN, reveals that hotels – especially in Badung regency and Denpasar city — consume 70 percent of the total electricity supply, which reaches 439 megawatts during peak hours. Nusa Dua resort area, the venue of the UN climate conference, alone consumes over one third of the power allocated for the hotels.
Shailendra said the energy saving program will consist of training on energy conservation, water conservation and waste management for hotel staff. Greenpeace will also provide energy efficiency and energy conservation awareness for tourists and will persuade the Indonesian government to provide incentives and subsidies that allow hotels to invest in renewable energy.
Urs Klee of the Bali Hotels Association said that hotels welcomed the program, which could give a medium 300-room-hotel savings of up to US$30,000 per year by installing solar water heaters.
“Using renewable energy saves money. The (establishment) costs will be returned within two to three years,” he said. (Ary Hermawan and Prodita Sabarini)
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/
December 13th, 2007
By Sara Webb
DENPASAR, Indonesia (Reuters) - With its manicured rice terraces, Hindu temples, and processions of women bearing Carmen Miranda-like mounds of fruit on their heads, Bali has successfully sold itself as a tropical paradise.
But the island resort, which attracts supermodels and rock stars as well as thousands of less famous economic migrants in search of a better life, may become a victim of its own success.
Mosques, shopping malls, and luxury villas have mushroomed on this largely Hindu island set in the predominantly Muslim Indonesian archipelago.
If a bid to lift height restrictions on buildings goes ahead, the skyline could be set for a more controversial addition: high-rises, seen as the most effective way to deal with a growing population and rapidly shrinking supply of land.
“The religious people don’t want this, they will have a problem with the temples and the way of life,” said Putu Suasta, an environmentalist, explaining that the mostly Hindu Balinese believe that other buildings should not tower above temples.
“I don’t think they will allow it.”
Bali is being transformed by non-Balinese who some critics say are gobbling up its precious rice fields for property development, competing head-on with the Balinese for jobs, and bringing alien cultures to the island.
“I want to keep my culture,” said Luh Ketut Suryani, a psychiatrist who is lobbying to preserve and popularize Balinese ways, including language and customs, and to make it harder for other Indonesians to settle on the island.
“If you want to build a big mosque and church, build it in another place. If you don’t agree, don’t come to Bali. All Indonesians are equal but now we (Balinese) feel we are a minority.”
BALINESE VERSUS OUTSIDERS
The proportion of Hindus in Bali fell to 87 percent in 2000, from 93 percent in 1995, Suryani said, as Indonesians from densely populated and mainly Muslim Java flocked to Bali in search of work following the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.
In Bali’s capital Denpasar, the proportion of Hindus may be closer to 60 percent and in certain districts it is only one in six, she said. The issue of Balinese versus outsiders is likely to be a hot topic in next year’s election for governor.
“Balinese only have one or two kids because family planning here is very strong” due to pressures from the local banjar, or neighborhood associations, she said.
“But imagine, if Balinese have only one or two kids but people from outside have four, five or six, in a few years the composition will change.”
Besieged by outsiders, some Balinese are becoming more aware of the need to preserve their identity.
Instead of using Indonesia’s unifying language bahasa Indonesia, which is similar to Malay, some Balinese want the Balinese language, steeped in Sanskrit and Javanese with a feudal emphasis on the caste of the person being addressed, to be used more widely.
BACKPACKER TRAIL
Once famous for its warring princes and slave-trading, Bali’s potential as a tropical tourist destination was exploited by the Dutch colonial rulers and, post-independence, by the Indonesian government.
It became part of the hippie and backpacker trail, and attracted more tourists than any other part of Indonesia.
When Islamic militants blew up two bars in Kuta, a popular tourist strip, in 2002 killing more than 200 people, it dealt a severe blow to Bali’s tourist industry and put Bali’s open welcome and tolerance to the test.
“After the bombs, Balinese became aware that it’s very dangerous to receive people from outside and we don’t know who they are,” said Suryani.
But even before 2002, some Balinese had mixed feelings about tourism and development. Some complain that developers destroy local shrines or do not treat temples with sufficient respect.
The big, foreign-owned hotels and restaurants often prefer to hire other Indonesians because Balinese, who are bound by their community ties, are obliged to attend important ceremonies and events in their villages and so have to take more time off work.
And some of those who sold their land feel they were forced to give it up, or cheated of a good price.
Without their land, many have given up their farming existence and have become dependent on tourism which sometimes turn locals and their unique culture into curios.
“To compete in the tourism business is about selling themselves, their image, their creativity, they have to sell themselves as tourist objects,” said Ida Ayu Agung Mas.
As a senator, she frequently hears complaints from Balinese about the consequences of development, ranging from pollution and higher living costs to a shortage of natural building materials as more people move to the island.
“Everyone is using the image of Bali, but they must pay back to the community. The Europeans, Chinese, Javanese, they don’t give back,” she said.
(Editing by Megan Goldin)
Source: http://in.reuters.com/article
December 12th, 2007
First, thanks for sharing the concerns of the UNFCCC delegates during the side events at Grand Hyatt Bali. I would like to clarify on the soundproof issue.
The soundproof issue in the ballroom in fact has nothing to do with the Grand Hyatt Bali. Our new ballroom is perfectly designed with soundproof dividable walls, to effectively divide it into three industry-standard soundproofed rooms.
However, due to the lack of meeting space in Bali, each section of our new ballroom was again sub-divided into two separate rooms, thus making a total of six.
The UNFCCC contracted Cityneon based out of Jakarta to temporary build these partitions to create the six rooms in order to meet the meeting room criteria. These partitions are build as temporary structures therefore they are not soundproof, such as the airwalls which are used to divide all hotel ballrooms.
The Grand Hyatt Bali management raised the soundproofing issue during the construction on Dec. 1 and 2, before the conference began, and was told by organizers there was no other choice because of limited function facilities in Nusa Dua.
It is unfortunately quite unfair for Grand Hyatt Bali and its facilities to be perceived as the problem in this instance.
MARIA SITANGGANG
Director of Sales
Grand Hyatt Bali
Nusa Dua, Bali
Source: The Jakarta Post
December 11th, 2007
DENPASAR/BULELENG, Bali (JP): A traditional boat floated still over a diving site in waters off Pemuteran beach. Its single passenger, intently watching the sea, raised the suspicions of five men wearing Balinese traditional black and white sarongs. They were quick in deciding to approach the mysterious boat.
The man was not alone; below the boat two divers were illegally catching decorative fish within the protected marine conservation zone.
Conservation laws were being broken; the five men seized the evidence and arrested the fishermen, escorting them to authorities from the traditional Pemuteran village in Gerokgak, Buleleng regency.
The men in black and white are members of a community-based security unit called pecalang that has deep roots in the well-preserved Balinese traditional culture.
Pemuteran’s pecalang patrol the beach to safeguard the five-hectare marine conservation zone from coral and marine-life theft.
Every village in Bali has pecalang. The traditional guards maintain village security and manage traffic flows during religious and customary ceremonies. Pecalang in Pemuteran are different from other community guards because they have the additional responsibility of helping conserve the diversity of marine life. Pemuteran’s guards are known as pecalang laut or sea guards. A seaside village, Pemuteran’s pecalang unit has 30 members, coordinated by Made Gunasa.
“Besides helping processions during religious ceremonies, pecalang here also have the added responsibility of protecting sea creatures from theft by the public,” said Made.
He said that marine life conservation was vital to the economy of his village, which is heavily dependent on the beauty of its reefs, and other undersea wonders, as the main attraction for tourists. “They are a blessing to the village and its people,” he said.
Pemuteran’s pecalang patrol 20-kilometers of beach at least three times a week by motor boat when necessary, or as foot patrol along the beach.
“It depends on the situation. If the public report possible illegal fishing, we will patrol the sea for days,” said one of Pemuteran’s elders, Wayan Siram, who initiated the creation of the pecalang laut, or sea guards, in the village.
He added that illegal fishing and coral theft, including mass fishing with dynamite, were once rampant in the village. The devastating use of dynamite to harvest fish has declined since 2000 when the business community, scientists and residents joined hands in conservation measures.
“Citizens are now more aware of the importance of reef and marine life conservation and they are starting to realize that they depend on it for their livelihoods. They don’t want marine creature numbers to be reduced because there is a growing recognition that agriculture is no longer dependable,” he said.
As of the end of November this year, just two cases of illegal fishing for decorative fish were reported. The perpetrators were dealt with by local customary authorities who explained the importance of marine conservation and their confiscated fishing equipment
“We did not view what they did as a serious crime,” Gunasa said.
Gunasa said that fishing for consumption was allowed outside the five-hectare conservation zone in Pemuteran as long as fishing practices were environmentally friendly.
He added pecalang laut members are in some ways ambassadors of their communities and are expected to treat visitors and others with respect.
“They are not allowed to display their weapons. They work voluntarily and are not paid wages. Our operational fund, of about Rp 350,000 (US$38) per month, comes from 18 people with businesses in Pemuteran,” said Made.
Other parties also contribute to the pecalang laut by donating equipment, such as a motorboat and a telescope, essential to the security organization’s operation.
Much of the operational fund is used to fuel the motorboat during routine beach and ocean patrols.
Pemuteran businessman, AA Prana, said that he was looking at initiating a payment system for the pecalang laut.
“It is still under discussion. We hope that all stakeholders will take part in this process,” he said, adding that payment was planned to be twice annually.
Another fund raising activity is the sale of special badges to hotel guests wishing to explore undersea wonders in Pemuteran. Funds raised from their sale will be donated to help finance the pecalang laut operational costs.
An expert on Balinese culture, Wayan Windia, responded positively to Pemuteran’s pecalang laut. He says preserving nature is part of the customary laws upheld by the traditional banjar institution.
“There is also pecalang hutan (who safeguard forests),” said Windia, who deplored the fact that pecalang, as an integral part of the banjar, had today been used for purposes unrelated to Bali’s religious and cultural events.
Pecalang have also worked to secure secular events such as a political party’s congress or an international conference taking place on the island. “It is the same as bringing the police into temples,” he said.
According to Windia, the involvement of pecalang as security apparatus for non-traditional events was common after dictatorial former president, Soeharto, stepped down in 1998 and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, the largest political party in Bali, held its first congress.
Pecalang were involved in securing the congress, and were again employed in 2002 when police asked for their assistance securing the ministerial meeting on the preparation of the international conference on sustainable development. (Ary Hermawan and Wasti Atmodjo)
Source: The Jakarta Post
December 10th, 2007
Indonesian authorities have tackled terrorists but can’t do anything about the water, writes Clive Dorman.
Bali is booming. Tourist arrivals are now passing record levels set before the terrorist bombings in 2002 and 2005 and, with an unprecedented influx of Javanese tourists, the island has never been busier.
But some things never change. Foreigners still can’t drink the tap water, despite the billions of dollars Bali has earned from tourists over the decades. “Bali belly” is alive and well in the ancient network of pipes that delivers “drinking” water throughout the island.
It’s a subject many hoteliers don’t like to talk about; most resort rooms don’t even have signs to warn tourists not to drink from the taps.
Tourists are expected to know that they should drink only bottled water and to use bottled water to brush their teeth. Those who don’t take these precautions risk contracting a debilitating stomach bug that can last for days.
However, some in the hospitality industry are looking to reforms in the electricity industry as a precedent for changes in the supply of water that, for the first time, would allow private companies to tender for the supply of safe drinking water.
The idea has become the subject of a vigorous political debate in Jakarta: should the nation’s essential services be placed in private hands? Reformers don’t appear to be winning the debate.
Water supply is a government monopoly run by Perusahaan Air Minum, the department in charge of the infrastructure throughout Indonesia. As with many other agencies bidding for scarce funds, it is short of resources. And, because it is a national organisation, it cannot favour one particular province, especially a relatively wealthy island such as Bali.
Meanwhile, the bigger tourist resorts on Bali are close to using their own in-house technology to purify water. Michel Viver, the East Indonesia manager of the country’s biggest hotel chain, the French-owned Accor (which manages Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure and other brands), says his properties already supply water to their guests “at international standard”.
But he admits his hotels still advise guests not to drink it. “In Australia, you are still over-chlorinating water, which means that people’s metabolism is not ready for [Bali water],” he says.
Vivier and others in the industry admit water quality is a low government priority, compared with issues such as terrorism, although they believe the Indonesian Government has made great strides in protecting people from extremists.
Though none will go on the record to discuss security matters, many industry sources told Traveller privately that they believe the government’s security crackdown is starting to bear fruit. It is now more than two years since the last terrorist incident directed at foreigners anywhere in Indonesia.
Some hoteliers in Java and Bali are concerned with the Australian Government’s continuing advice to travellers to “reconsider their need” to travel to Indonesia, including Bali.
Source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/
December 10th, 2007
Next Posts
Previous Posts