Bali News

Before Christmas and New Year, several hotels and inns in favorable tourism area in Bali such as Kuta, Legian, Jimbaran and Nusa Dua has already full. Tourism Department of Bali province suggested for the tourists who want spend their holiday in Bali not to get trapped in that locations. “It is better if want to take a trip into Bali not merely visited that places. There lot of other good location in Bali but still quiet,” said the assessment and development head division of Tourism Department, Ketut Naria at Legian Bali on Monday, December 21st.

He said, hotels and inns at tourism area such as Lovina, Tanah Lot, Ubud, Candi Dasa and Padang Bai, immediately before New Year merely just filled with 20-30 percent. “This that usually forgotten by the tourist, they thought that if Kuta has already full than all places in Bali will be the same,” he said. Naria also said that it is difficult changes tourist habits and change their destination. It just crafted into their mind that Bali means visiting Kuta or Legian. “In addition, is their location that is close to the airport, means most people will make destination into those areas,” he adds.

Therefore, said Ketut, his party will try their best to promote and directed those tourist whether local or foreigner with other tourism destination in Bali. Bali Tourism Department, he mentioned, intensively promoting those areas through promotion and travel agent. “It rather difficult changes people’s desire. But slowly we hope it will get success,” he concluded. Meanwhile, Bali Tourism Department had targeting the amount of tourist visiting Bali (direct arrival) at the end of the year for about 2.1 million tourists.

Hopefully they can achieve target that exceeding last year direct arrival that was about 1.9 million tourists. “Because there was trend escalation, the number of tourists get holiday and spend nights in all around Bali reached 59 percent average. This was considered a quite high number if we count it from all around areas in Bali,” he said.

Whereas, another location that has been reassured to be full is “Bali Tourism Development Corporation” area or BTDC Nusa Dua, Badung Government. Operational Director of BTDC Nusa Dua of Badung Regency, I Gusti Ketut Purnaya in Denpasar on Tuesday said that it has already difficult to find hotel in Bali especially at BTDC area.

“At BTDC area there are 14 stars hotels facilitated with 4.000 rooms. Nowadays its occupancy rate has already full between January 3rd and 5th 2010,” he said. Hotels have already preparing events to gather the occupants to spend their New Year night at the hotel instead of spend it outside. Those who spend their New Year night at the hotel will indeed give more profit to them. If every people spend their money $150 per day and stay between four until five days then it will give quite big result multiplied it with the amount of tourist in one hotel.

With lot of people celebrate New Year party, and then BTDC will also conducting super high security with mobilized their entire officer guarding 300 hectare area. Besides internal security there will be some assistance from the tourism security police, water police, Bala Penyelamat Wisata Tirta (balawista) – water rescue team – pecalang from local adat village – local people securities – South Kuta Police, Poltabes Denpasar and Bali Police.

“For our security itself there are three shifts in duty with one holiday shift. But especially for New Year, there will be no holiday where all staff will involved,” said Purnaya.

Things that should be emphasized is conducted more careful examination toward every guest who entering the BTDC area. He suggested for all guests entering BTDC area should pass by the main gate, while the exiting point can go through the three other gates that are guarded strictly. This elite area also had been watched by 52 units CCTV together with layering protection since the security officers also prepared by Hotel. “We hope for everything run smoothly and no disturbance from anything,” he said.

News by Nusa Bali