Bali News

Head trading practice has been a critical issue in handling tourism market with Mandarin language such as Taiwan and China for long. Related components have expressed their commitment to stop the unethical conduct through an agreement between Bali chapter of Indonesian Travel Agent Association (ASITA) and Bali chapter of Indonesian Tour Guide Association (HPI) in March 8th 2004. Unfortunately whilst everybody are struggling in consistently implementing the agreement, a new problem arose. Without clear legal background, Bali Tourism Office has just granted a special privilege for Mandarin Division of HPI Bali to serve as the controlling body. Such a one side authority is considered sensitive to violation.

In a meeting at Bali Tourism Office, spokesman of Tjendana Mandra Sakti Tours and Travel, one of travel agents focusing in Mandarin market, Made Sulasa Jaya, suggested that control of head trading practice to be conducted by integrated team. “We all agree to stop head trading practices. Our company is working hard to push away this unethical conduct. We do hope that other travel agents to do the same. However we believe that controlling needs to be conducted by every related stakeholders”, he suggested.

Related stakeholders he suggested were ASITA Bali, HPI Bali, and Bali Tourism Office as the regulator. The suggestion was based on a letter of head of Bali Tourism Office, I.B. Kade Subiksu dated back on April 12th 2009 which gave authority to the Mandarin Division of HPI Bali to enforce penalty violating Mandarin tour guides.

Interviewed by Bali Post separately the Head of Tourism Human Resource of Bali Tourism Office, Putu Sudiartha, explained that his office has a clear reasons behind the letter. However he refused to reveal the information as he did not feel in authority to do. He suggested the media to hold themselves from publicizing the issue as all stakeholders are in consolidation. He indicated his agreement in holding a joint team. “We will have another meeting on July 24th”, he said.