Indonesian Minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik, launched the national program for people empowerment for tourism, locally known as PNPM Mandiri Pariwisata, at the hall of Bondalem village in North Bali. In the event Minister Wacik handed over financial assistance in the program framework to six villages of Buleleng namely Bondelem, Munduk, Sambangan, Pancasari, Banjar, and Pemuteran.

Attended by hundred of local villagers, the event went through attractively. Arrival of Minister Wacik accompanied by Head of Bali Tourism Office, Ida Bagus Kade Subhiksu and some other VIPs was welcomed by numerous traditional art performances such as baleganjur, bondres, and joged. Enthusiasm rose up higher when Minister Wacik show his talent in playing kendang, Balinese traditional percussion.

Minister Wacik explained that similar to PNPM Mandiri program introduced by other ministries, in tourism the program was intended as pioneer in people empowerment efforts. Fund was delivered directly to groups of people to shorten bureaucratic procedure and eliminate leakages.

He believed that tourism was one of most effective instruments to initiate development, empower people, and alleviate poverty. Therefore his ministry made real effort to empower people by their involvement in tourism industry. The program was directed to poor people living in tourism destinations. Villages with potentials in tourism development, close to tourism objects, and tourism facilities.

In 2009 PNPM Mandiri Pariwisata would be made available in 104 villages in 17 provinces namely North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau, Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, and North-East Sulawesi. Each village would get allocation of between 50 to 100 millions, 10 billion in total throughout the year.

In Bali, other than the 6 villages of Buleleng, four other villages in Bangli were also included in the program this year namely Bayung Gede, Trunyan, Kedisan, and Songan. All the 10 villages of Bali got 77 millions each.