Archive for July, 2008
Villa Mahapala in Sanur, Bali, launches a reservation system on its website that delivers convenient and secure bookings.
Bali, INDONESIA - Villa Mahapala Resort in the quiet beach town of Sanur is offering a newly improved reservation system on its website, www.villamahapala-bali.com. A fitting starter for a great Bali holiday, the newly launched online booking service allows guests to book direct easily, and in the securest way.
Villa Mahapala’s online reservation system guarantees a reserved room in just a few clicks. The state-of-the-art system shows 14 days of real-time room availability around the guests’ selected vacation dates. Complete room amenities and features for each accommodation type are shown online. Once guests have made their booking choices, they secure the reservation by placing an affordable deposit payment of 10%, which will be deducted from the total room charge. This minimal fee ensures that their room is ready and available upon the guest’s arrival to the hotel.
Reservations are confirmed instantly via an automated e-mail. All transactions made through Villa Mahapala’s new online reservation system are guaranteed safe by the 128-bit encryption technology of WorldPay, a subsidiary of the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Villa Mahapala is located in SAnur, Bali. It offers 20 private villas, each with its own plunge pool, massage hut, and outdoor shower. The resort also has a French fusion resto, bar, and spa. Complete details on the rooms, facilities, services and location of the hotel can be found on www.villamahapala-bali.com.
The hotel offers this improved booking service together with DirectWithHotels, its direct reservations performance partner. DirectWithHotels works with pioneering technology to empower accommodation providers worldwide to directly serve guests online and provide instant booking confirmation. To learn more about this encompassing service, log on to www.directwithhotels.com.
Contact Information:
Villa Mahapala
Jl. Pantai Sindu
Sanur, Bali
80228 Indonesia
Phone no.: 62 361 286 222
Fax no.: 62 361 281 222
www.villamahapala-bali.com
prlaunch@directwithhotels.com
Keywords:
Villa Mahapala Hotel, Hotel Bali, Bali Hotels, Bali Accommodations, Bali Accommodation, Sanur hotel, Sanur beach hotel
Source: http://www.pr-inside.com/
July 11th, 2008
Indonesia’s ailing tourist economy received a shot in the arm this spring with unveiling of the full 18 at New Kuta Golf Course, a Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey design in Balangan Beach on Bali’s southernmost tip.
The first nine opened last October and the second nine in May. Perched mainly atop limestone cliffs overlooking Balangan Beach, the championship track at New Kuta GC offers broad vistas of the Indian Ocean and a pair of holes that play directly along the shore.
The course is centerpiece of a resort development that will eventually contain hotels, villas, restaurants and shops. The Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay are already nearby; both have arrangements for guests to play New Kuta, which will serve as the site of the 2009 Indonesian Open.
Golfplan partner David Dale believes that New Kuta, with its native vegetation sitting along the edges of fairways, will remind many of another tournament venue, the Plantation Course at the Kapalua Resort in Hawaii, where the PGA Tour holds its Mercedes Championship each January.
“It has a quasi-links feel to it, though it generally plays along cliff tops rather than down near the shore,” Dale said. “This tableau has a real appeal, of course, as places like Kapalua and Pebble Beach exemplify. At New Kuta, there are holes that run right along the sea. The par-4 14th and par-3 15th play right down to the water and travel along ocean’s edge. They are very memorable, but the holes that sit higher on the property have water views that are longer and, in their own way, are more breathtaking.
“We are very happy with the final product,” Dale continued. “Many local events have already taken place there and the owner seems very pleased. It would have been difficult to build a golf course on this site that wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous. New Kuta is all that, but it’s also got real strategic integrity.”
The par-72, 6,812-yard layout features native grasses, vegetation and a handful of trees bordering its seashore paspalum fairways, tees and roughs. The greens are planted with smooth-rolling ultradwarf bermudagrass.
The new course should help stimulate a Balinese tourist economy that was hit hard following the 2002 terrorist bombings that killed 240 foreign tourists, many of them Australian. The United States recently lifted its almost decade-long travel advisory to the country. Other nations with similar policies are expected to follow this lead and ease their travel restrictions Indonesia’s famously inviting eastern outpost.
What visitors will find when they return to Bali’s Pecatu region, located south of Jimbaran, is a semi-arid landscape with unsurpassed sunsets along Dreamland Beach. The surrounding rugged terrain reminds many of what they might find in the American Southwest, Tunisia, or drier portions of South Africa.
Golfplan, which has built more than 160 golf courses in 65 countries, first became involved with the project in 1994. The course was well on its way to completion when Indonesian President Suharto was ousted from power in 1998. Construction of New Kuta Golf Course came to a halt during the next eight years of political and economic unrest. In 2006, the developers were able to resume construction.
The surprised Golfplan staff was cautiously optimistic in 2007 when notified of the progress. Nine holes had been completed before the office had been contacted. However, in a testament to the accuracy of Golfplan’s construction drawings, these holes were found to be quite good and in tune with the original design.
Subsequently, Golfplan founder Ronald Fream made several site visits to oversee completion of the project. Indeed, departing from the initial land planner’s concept, Golfplan was able to reroute the course so the future hotel and residential components would have equally compelling views of the course and ocean. The new routing also reduced the amount of earthmoving to just 200,000 cubic meters.
“We were able to maximize the real-estate frontage,” Dale explained. “That meant additional savings in terms of course drainage and resort infrastructure. The little earth we did move helped better define landing areas, green and tee sites, as well as pick up water and move it off the course quickly when it does rain.”
The developers, Golf Links Resort headed by Director Aulia Putera, have big plans for New Kuta GC (for details, call +62 361 8481 333 or email
info@newkutagolf.com ). Once the hotels have been built, plans are to add a second course on the cliff tops. The resort’s primary audience will be north Asians, mostly from Korea and Japan, and Australians with a sprinkling of Chinese, Singaporeans, Europeans and the occasional North Americans seeking an exotic destination.
Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey specialize in the exotic and are among the industry’s most well-traveled designers, with projects now in some stage of development in 21 different countries around the world. Since its formation in 1972 by Fream, the firm has built courses in some exotic locations: Pezula, on South African cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean; Bali Handara and Jagorawi, in the tropical jungles of Indonesia; Shore Gate, in the storied sand hills just a few miles from Pine Valley and the boardwalks of Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the United States; the 27 holes at Disneyland Paris; the mountainous Bonari Kogen GC, Japan’s top-rated resort course; and The Club at Nine Bridges in Korea, host to the Samsung World Championship and now firmly ensconced on the world Top 100 lists at both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine.
Dale and partner Kevin Ramsey are based out of Golfplan’s U.S. headquarters in Santa Rosa, Calif., while Fream now operates a satellite office from his home in Johor Bahru, just over the border from Singapore in Malaysia. Golfplan has recently been retained to handle the renovation work at Singapore Island Country Club. The firm recently retooled the Serapong Course on the Island of Sentosa, which sits in Singapore Harbor. Serapong is current host of the Barclay’s Singapore Open and was recently named the top tournament course in all of Asia by Asian Golf Monthly magazine.
For more information about Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey, call 207/526-7190, or visit
http://www.golfplan.com/.
Source: http://www.cybergolf.com/
July 10th, 2008
By Bustanuddin
Jakarta, (ANTARA News)- Three pairs of gubernatorial contestants in the Paradise Island of Bali will compete in the direct gubernatorial election on Wednesday (July 9, 2008) for the period of 2008-2013.
The three pairs of candidates are Prof Dr Gede Winasa-Alit Putra, Cok Budi Suryawan-Nyoman Gede Suwetha and I Made Mangku Pastika-AA Puspayoga.
Made Mangku Pastika, retired Police Commissioner General and a former police chief in the province, got much attention in the country including that from tourism observers for his success especially when he led the Bali police.
A total of 2.631.754 people out of about 3.6 million of the island`s population have been registered to cast votes in 5,683 polling booths on the election day.
Bali`s incumbent governor Dewa Made Beratha on Monday (July 7) when observing the preparation for the election requested all people who have been registered to cast votes.
It is expected that there will be less non-voters in the direct gubernatorial election, the governor said in his observation in the villages of Dangin Puri Kaja, Padang Sambian Kaja, Sading, Darmasaba and Sibang Gede.
AA Gede Oka Wisnumurti, chairman of the provincial general election commission said preparations for the gubernatorial election have been well conducted.
Campaign for the election taking place from June 22 till July 5, had been concluded in a prayer function in Jagatnata temple.
The prayer was held as a token of thanksgiving to the God for the smooth performance of the election campaign, Wisnumurti said.
After the praying, three pairs of the contestants also attended the removal function of billboards and other election symbols relating to the campaign in Puputan Renon square in Denpasar.
Peaceful situation as reflected by the three pairs of candidates are also expected to come into effect on the moment of election, up to completion of the election, Wisnu cited.
In the meantime, the provincial police expressed hope that all people in the region should refrain from committing anarchism regarding the performance of the gubernatorial election.
“We hope the people refrain from anarchism, because it will only cause them suffer losses if they fail to avoid committing anarchistic actions,” Senior Commissioner AS Reniban, head of Bali police`s public relations division said Friday (July 4).
According to him, the provincial police will deploy at least 7,000 police personnel at 5,683 polling booths to help make the vote casting run well.
In addition, at least 550 military personnel will also help control situation of the vote casting.
On I Made Mangku Pastika`s participation on the gubernatorial position race, Dr. I Nyoman Darma Putra, tourism observer living in Australia believed that Pastika would contribute peaceful situation to foreign tourists if he won in the election.
“If Mangku Pastika becomes Bali`s governor, probably Australian tourists will feel more peaceful in Bali. At least they can feel that they have `father` in Bali, who can listen and can have `dialog` if problem happens,” he said.
Bali needs a governor who can speak English well because this island has become world tourism destination, said Nyoman, who is also book writer in cooperation with Prof. Michael Hitchcock (London, Ashgate, 2007), entitled “Tourism, Development and Terrorism in Bali”.
“If the would be Bali governor is the figure like Mangku Pastika who can speak English, he can of course take quick care on many Australian tourists` complaint,” Nyoman, a lecturer of Indonesian language in the Queensland University added.
In the meantime, Ketut Suwandi, the success team of the Golkar Party-supported pair of Cokorda Budi Suryawan-Nyoman Suweta (CBS-Suweta), expressed hope that this pair would grab more that 40 percent of votes in the gubernatorial election.
It is certainly expected that any pair who would win in Bali gubernatorial election, would contribute better governance not only for the benefit of the paradise island but also for Indonesia.(*)
COPYRIGHT © 2008
Source: ANTARA News
July 9th, 2008
By MEGAN NEIL
A few gentle strokes on the back of the chicken’s neck and sure enough, Charlie is soon hypnotised.
Learning the secret of how to hypnotise a chicken is one of the allures of this Balinese cooking class, even if it does mean a 6am start to hit the local markets.
Tired expressions are quickly replaced by worried looks when the chef holds up Charlie and says: “How much fresher could Charlie come? It doesn’t get fresher than that.”
But today is Charlie’s lucky day; he won’t meet his fate just yet.
At 30,000 to 50,000 Indonesian rupiah (about $NZ4.40 to $NZ7.20), the Bali mamas who shop at Bali’s Pasar Jimbaran could never afford him for their daily meals.
With only 30,000IDR to 40,000IDR a day to feed the average family of four, Bali mama cannot opt for a live chicken. They’re saved for ceremonial offerings.
It’s rice that’s the key to the average Balinese menu, says Heinz von Holzen, who runs Bumbu Bali Restaurant and Cooking School.
“Keep in mind that rice is the most important thing and everything else becomes garnish,” Heinz says.
Bali mamas can make just 75 grams of meat go a long way; done properly it can flavour half a kilo of rice.
Heinz comes up with another most important thing in a Balinese kitchen – spice mixes – as he points to a myriad of spices and chillies spread out before him.
“Balinese food is not spicy. Balinese food is spiced,” he explains.
Few tourists come to this market, although Heinz thinks they’re missing out. Perhaps it’s because of the early starts.
By 7am, there’s only a few buyers left in the little alleyways.
Most of the Bali mamas, as Heinz likes to call them, come here when the market’s in full swing, at 3.30-4am.
They do the basic, everyday cooking. The Bali papas take over the complicated or special occasion cooking.
Heinz, the author of four cookbooks, brings his cooking school students here to collect the spices, meat, chicken, cakes and fruit they need for the day’s program.
The seafood comes from another market nearby.
Swiss-born Heinz has been doing this for 11 years to get the freshest seafood, while also buying produce for his restaurant.
Up until about four years ago there was an abundance of fish.
“It was just incredible,” Heinz says during a stop at Jimbaran beach. “It just kept coming and coming and coming.”
Then it stopped.
“The oceans here in Bali are clearly empty, there’s no more fish,” Heinz says.
“Now, for about four years, we struggle every single day just to get enough fish for the restaurant.”
There’s not much here at this first stop, but it’s a different story a short drive past a long strip of seafood restaurants.
On the water and the beach sit what seem to be hundreds of boats, all decorated in bright colours and patterns.
Nearly all of the boats have come to Kedonganan Beach at Kuta from the nearby island of Java.
It’s buzzing with activity. There’s no escaping that distinct seafood odour as we walk though the stalls.
After collecting all our ingredients, we head back to the cooking school to enjoy a delicious breakfast of Balinese cakes, fruits, black rice pudding and sweet rice flour dumplings in palm sugar coconut sauce.
It’s a short respite before being put to work to create 25 Balinese dishes.
Just like the secret herbs and spices in KFC, the key to Balinese cooking lies in the spice paste.
“If you want to do Balinese cooking at home you need to go and get the spices first,” Heinz advises.
He adds that you should spend one day just on making the spice pastes – seafood, beef, chicken and the basic paste.
Cool it down overnight in the fridge before smearing the spice paste inside an ice cube tray; freeze it; then put the cubes into plastic bags or airtight containers.
Once you have the spice paste you can do a lot more than Balinese cooking, Heinz says, suggesting it be used for marinades or barbecues.
“If you do it that way it’s fun. Otherwise to do Balinese cooking is too labour intensive.”
He’s right. There’s 12 of us working with Heinz and his Balinese chef Pak Bagus but it takes a long time to prepare 25 dishes.
At some point we all yawn (it’s been an early start) and I even find myself day dreaming about the Bloody Mary we had at Sydney airport as I wonder whether a TV dinner girl like me will ever spend a day making spice paste.
I do, however, discover how much difference a pinch of salt and a bit of lime juice can make to an otherwise boring dish.
We’re all very happy to taste-test the ayam pelalah (shredded chicken with chillies and lime) and the easy-to-make urab jagung (sweet corn and coconut snack).
I even leap at the chance to make godoh biu, an exotic sounding name for a favourite dessert of mine, fried bananas.
We even make nasi goring (fried rice), even though Heinz is at pains to point out that the dish, served just about everywhere in Bali, is not native to the island.
Finally we make a mountain of food and work our way through the recipe handout.
Then comes the best part: eating the banquet of tasty food we’d prepared ourselves.
I’m still not inspired enough to buy a stone mortar and pestle to grind spices back home, but the sweet corn and coconut and fried bananas may get a try.
Oh, and Charlie lived to see another day, well at least until the next ceremony.
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/
July 8th, 2008
Why go all the way to Brazil to enjoy a beach holiday when the likes of Queensland and Bali are so much closer? If you have already been to Brazil, you know the answer to that question. If you haven’t, you will find out. Brazil is unlike any other country in the world, offering an unrivalled mix of culture, cuisine, and natural scenery—and that includes lots of skin with precious little clothing blocking the view.
Búzios is a small Brazilian town about 200km northeast of Rio de Janeiro. It was just another sleepy fishing village before the Bardot Effect caused a boom in tourism, much as that starlet’s association with Saint-Tropez brought international recognition to that hamlet on the French Riviera. Thanks to Brigitte’s search for a bit of peace and quiet while taking in the scenery (which included her Brazilian boyfriend at the time), Ms. Bardot left behind enough media coverage to engender a tourism industry where before there had been none.
So the hotels and guesthouses started rising along with waterfront and into the hills of this beautiful peninsula. One of the most impressive is Tom Bombadil.
Tom Bombadil is a character in JRR Tolkien’s Lord Of The Rings; if you only know the film versions of the story, you won’t know this character; he was left out, but no one is left out of the beauty of Búzios. Tom Bombadil is also the name of a beautiful guesthouse in the town of Búzios, two and a half hours’ drive from Rio. With only four (simple) guestrooms and a main house that really is a house, the only way to feel more at home would be to rent all the rooms for yourself and your friends and have the place all to yourselves. With its reasonable rates, this is not at all an impossibility. The spectacular views of the beach and little else will make you fall in love at first sight. The good thing is that the infatuation lasts for the entire stay. Sonia, who speaks Portuguese, English, and Hospitality with equal aplomb, is the gracious hostess of this property perfectly situated on a bluff overlooking the quiet Praia da Foca (Seal Beach), a less developed part of the town. Actually, it overlooks the entire peninsula, which makes the thought of ever getting out of the swimming pool sheltered by native forest one side but open to sweeping vistas on the other an idea that is best suppressed.
Believe it or not, this little piece of paradise will be only one stop from Australia once Qantas introduces its nonstop flights from Sydney to Buenos Aires. It will then be possible to connect in Buenos Aires with the Brazilian low-cost airline Gol’s (seasonal) nonstop flight from Buenos Aires to Cabo Frio, completely bypassing the mayhem of Rio’s international airport and bringing travellers directly to an easy arrival at what must be one of the sleepiest of Brazilian airports. From Cabo Frio, Búzios is a half-hour drive. Sonia can arrange for a taxi to pick up guests at the airport (advisable). So small is Cabo Frio airport that it has no money exchange or bank facilities, so have the taxi driver stop at an ATM for a cash injection along the way to paradise.
Source: http://www.etravelblackboard.com/
July 7th, 2008
The Sales Mission, Bali & Beyond, Australia-New Zealand event launched with over 50 travel and hospitality industry professionals at the Novotel Rockford in Sydney’s Darling Harbour last week.
Continuing their ‘Visit Indonesia Year 2008’ campaign, the sales mission aimed to promote new and current Indonesian products and services to entice Australian’s to visit the ‘Island of the Gods’ shores.
The night started with flowing wine and canapés before the attendees gathered to watch a traditional Balinese dance and listen to the many reasons to visit Bali and beyond. Speakers included Mr Siuaji Raja, Consul for Economic Affairs and Dr I Gde Pitana, Director for International Promotion from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Pitana pointed out the strong tourist numbers that Indonesia had been experiencing over the past few years, with 2007 welcoming overall an increase of 43.4% of tourists compared to 2006. The first quarter of 2008 has already seen 101, 115 visitors arrive at the country, and the government has set an estimated target of 380,000 visitors already.
It was found, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the republic of Indonesia, that Australian’s rank as the 4th highest numbers of visitors to hit Indonesian shores, with Singapore, Malaysia and Japan respectively taking the top three places.
Pitana urged attendees to make Australians aware of the diverse experiences Indonesia offers, with over 500 ethnicities, 473 dialects, endless shopping, over 100 festivals and 25 international standardised golf courses, Indonesia as a product is “suitable” for the Australian market.
In regards to the safety and security that many Australians have had concern over, Pitana assured that these “issues” were “only issues, they are not correct”. He referred to the fact that the US had removed the Travel Ban from Indonesia three weeks ago, and that terrorism is a worldwide problem.
The sales mission also featured a Table top session where over 10 suppliers of products and services in Indonesia sat down with a new group of buyers every 7 minutes to explain their innovative and hospitality-driven ideas.
To further drive the sales mission home, 38 industry practitioners offered special deals only for Australian and New Zealand agents, which included package deals and discounts at luxury resorts and hotels.
The night ended with a lucky draw for attendees, the winner taking home a 7-night package at one of Bali’s luxury resorts.
Source: http://www.etravelblackboard.com/
July 7th, 2008
Dicky Christanto , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar
Traditional dancer I Gusti Ayu Raka Rasmi still remembers when she struggled to learn Balinese traditional dancing.
Born in Peliatan, Ubud, Gianyar Regency, in 1939, Rasmi was introduced to traditional dancing from the early age of nine.
“I was among the youngest dancers back then,” she recalled.
From I Ketut Marya, who was later known as Mario, the choreographer of the famous Oleg Tamulilingan traditional dance, Rasmi learned the basics of traditional Balinese and Oleg dance movements.
Despite the international acknowledgement the Oleg Tamulilingan dance later brought her, Rasmi remains a down-to-earth person.
She has never failed in her obligations as a member of the Balinese traditional banjar (neighborhood organization) and desa pekraman (customary village) by regularly participating in events, such as performing sacred dances during religious ceremonies.
The events are not a chore, she said, shaking her head. It is part of her Ngayah (voluntary work) and money is never the goal, she said.
“In 1953 I was trembling in cold weather while waiting for my turn to perform a sacred dance in a temple located on the slope of Agung Mountain.
“But once the performance started, the cold disappeared, replaced with a warm sensation from seeing dozens of eyes looking at me with pride. It was worth the effort.”
What stayed in her mind was that the performance was a response to villagers’ eager request to see Rasmi perform in their village.
Rasmi back then had just arrived home from a government-led cultural mission tour in Europe and the United States along with traditional dancing groups from other regions of Indonesia.
“The villagers sent a letter to me asking me to perform the sacred dance there. I was very touched by their request,” she said.
In her heyday, Rasmi danced more than five times on Saturday and Sunday and three times a day on regular days.
To this day Rasmi still dances — but only on special occasions. She spends most of her time training children to dance in the Arma museum in Ubud.
Rasmi has lived her life under the spotlight, unlike artist I Dewa Gede Negara, now 79, a Bangli-born traditional percussionist.
Negara was once acknowledged as one of the best percussionists in the region, but playing his music instrument, known as gender in the local language, was his Ngayah to his community. His talent never generated enough money to pay the bills.
“More than 10 years ago, they paid me Rp 150,000 per week for a two-part show and that was the most money I could get from playing percussion in a group,” Negara, who quit playing percussion years ago, said.
Negara lives with his 11 children from his two marriages, and to meet their daily needs, he relies on his monthly Rp 700,000 pension as a veteran of Indonesia’s war of independence.
The lack of fame was not a problem for Negara, who said he had never regretted his choice of profession.
“To play well and just knowing that people might enjoy it is enough for me, the rest is just a bonus,” he said.
Both Rasmi and Negara are among nine Bali veteran artists recognized as the island’s artistic icons by the Bali Cultural Agency last Monday.
Head of Bali Cultural Agency I Nyoman Nikanaya said the event was a a gesture by the government to show respect to all artists.
Percussionists I Gusti Putu Gde Wedasmara and I Gde Deresta, traditional dancer Ni Wayan Kerthi, traditional poet Gede Karsa, puppeteers I Nyoman Swiji and I Ketut Wesen and traditional performance actor Wayan Tembau Kariasa were also noted as Bali icons.
Each artist received a lifetime achievement trophy, health insurance, a set of traditional attire and Rp 2,500,000 in cash during a presentation organized as part of the Bali Art Festival, which runs until July 12.
Phone company Esia also gave the recipients Rp 5 million and a wireless fixed telephone set. The company has also published an autobiographic collection about all the artists.
Source: The Jakarta Post
July 4th, 2008
Bali is increasingly developing into a center of meetings and interaction among artists and culturalists from all parts of the world, a lecturer at the Denpasar-based Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI), Prof. Dr. I Wayan Dibia, MA, said here Friday.
IAt different times and in different contexts, artists and culture experts from various countries meet in Bali for inter-cultural dialogs in an effort to create art works of good quality, Dibia said.
They intentionally come to Bali to absorb new aesthetic inspirations and adopt Balinese art concepts and elements to produce new inventions, he said.
“In order to prevent Bali`s local arts and cultural heritage from experiencing unexpected things, they need to be protected by such things as copyrights,” he said.
Therefore, Bali`s artists should always produce original works and at the same time improve the quality of their creations, he said.
Balinese arts and culture are changing rapidly from traditional to recreational works as well as new inventions in various forms, he said.
The artistic tastes are dynamically changing and this was making the Balinese people proud, he said.
However, he said, there was no legal protection for Bali`s arts and culture which had been bequeathed to the Balinese people from one generation to the other, Dibia said.
Source: www.antara.co.id/en
July 4th, 2008
New agriculture industry centers set up across Bali are being hailed as the ideal way to support local famers while building up the island’s tourism sector.
The 126 new centers are designed as community-based enterprises for farmers, said Gede Ardhana, the head of Bali Plantation Agency, which initiated their development.
“It is part of a program to improve farmers’ income and welfare,” he said as quoted by Antara Tuesday.
“The primary engine of the center will be the local Subak Abian,” he said, referring to the traditional institution that draws its membership from farmers cultivating plants other than rice. There are currently around 786 Subak Abian in Bali.
“The particular needs of the local Subak Abian and the specific potential of each area will be taken into consideration in determining the appropriate program, including the most suitable plants to be cultivated,” Gede said.
Farmers will be trained in processing and marketing the products from four plants, including arabica coffee, robusta coffee, jambu mete (Anacardium occidentale) and cocoa.
“Hopefully, after several years the Subak Abian will able to manage and run their own agro industry,” he said.
Following the deadly terrorist attacks in 2002 and 2005, which crippled the island’s lucrative tourism industry, several Balinese intellectuals asked the local administration to pay more attention to the agriculture sector.
The attacks had shown tourism was a fragile industry too vulnerable to be trusted as the island’s sole source of income, they said, while the agro industry was a perfect way to reinforce the island’s economic foundations.
“Agro industry will also play an important role in assisting scores of Balinese farmers, who continue to live in poverty due to the low price of agriculture products,” Dewa Suprapta, an agricultural expert at Udayana State University, said recently.
Suprapta has pioneered several agro industry initiatives combining farming methods with modern marketing.
The tourism industry has also begun developing agro-tourism, combining agricultural development with the industry.
“I think this (agro-tourism) will be the perfect tourism model for Bali, because it gives the island a possibility to improve its tourism industry and sustain its agriculture sector at the same time,” one of the most passionate proponents of agro-tourism, Bagus Sudibya, said.
Source: The Jakarta Post
July 3rd, 2008
This June end, Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism will hold a Sales Mission Bali and Beyond, Australia-New Zealand 2008for the fifth times; this event is supported by Bali Tourism Board and will be organized by Bali Village. The mission is aimed to support the government’s program in reaching the number of seven million visitors in 2008, to further introduce Bali and Indonesia to Australia and New Zealand markets. Besides that, the mission is also aimed to introduce the newest Indonesian tourism slogan: Visit Indonesia Year 2008. This event will be held from June 29th to July 9th, 2008 in three cities in Australia (Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney) and New Zealand (Auckland). Perth will be visited on 30 June 2008 which will take place in Argyle Room- Parmelia Hilton Perth. Melbourne will be visited on 2 July 2008 which takes place in The Grand Ballroom-The Hotel Windsor; Sydney will be visited on 3 July 2008 which takes place in Darling Harbour Room-Novotel Rockford Darling Harbour. Auckland will be the last city visited, the event will be held on 7 July 2008 in Regatta ABC Room-The Hyatt Regency Auckland.
There are two formats used in this event, sales mission booklet packages and table top presentation. The sales mission booklet consists of 33 companies (hotels, villas, and activities) which offer a special rate to the Australian and New Zealand markets. The booklet will be distributed in four cities visited during the Table Top. The second format is in the form of Table Top Presentation; it is aimed to make the selling process of each packages offered by participating companies easier. The Table Top Presentation is aimed to give product knowledge to the Australia and New Zealand wholesalers so the packages offered can be sold optimally.
The visit to the four cities will involve 14 participating hoteliers over a period of eight days in two countries. Those participants are: Melia Bali Hotels & Resort, Villa Ombak Hotels, Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel, Resort & Spa, The Jayakarta Hotel, Bali Garden Beach Resort, Senggigi Beach, Bali Safari & Marine Park, Segara Village Hotel, The Vira Bali Hotel, Santrian Resort, The Ahimsa, The Seminyak Bali, and Accor.
Source: http://www.etravelblackboard.com/
July 2nd, 2008
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