Tomorrow (23/1) Tionghoa people believed world is entering Chinese New Year 2563. This year is Water Dragon year as it is convinced to bring prosperity for us. The coming of Chinese New Year (CNY) 2563 is welcoming happily by Chinese people. Any kinds of preparation had done like one in Griya Kongco Dwipayana Tanah Kilap Denpasar yesterday.

Some people looked preparing offerings to pray together to welcome New Year ’s Eve (22/1). Big candles and large lantern also had set up. Some Buddhists also was cleaning some Gods and Goddess statues. Surrounding environment of this temple also looks clean. The leader of Griya Kongco Dwipayana I.B. Adnyana said the preparation of welcoming CNY had almost done. According to him, massive pray will hold on Sunday’s midnight and it will accommodate barongsai show.

Barongsai is the sign of bad luck repellent and a pray for prosperity and a better life. Further CNY is coming with Siwaratri night as it is a great moment to contemplate. He also said Barongsai is a sign to repel bad luck and begging for prosperity. Furthermore it is a great moment to change ourselves to be better. It can start by our leaders so they can be a good example for their people.

CNY also hoped to tight solidarity between other religions to create peaceful life. In the other side same activities also appeared in Cao Fuk Mio Temple on Kargo Taman Street, Denpasar. The huge lanterns had set up while old lanterns also had replaced with the new ones to give a new hope and illuminate the Buddhists. Gods and Goddess statues also had cleaned up. In front of the temple gate, there are a couple of sugarcane bar with Bali cultural style to sign peaceful family relationship. When Imlek day arrives, children are usually using red clothes with dragon or hong bird pictures. Besides clothes, your houses will decorated by lanterns and candles. The one of great tradition is sharing angpao. Angpao signed energy transfer or lucky transfer from married people to the children. “The most important is not the money but also its meaning,” said him.

News by Bali Post

“There are so many of Singapore Tourism Agent who wishes for their cruises anchoring at Tanah Ampo Port,” said Karangasem Regent, I Wayan Geredeg in Amlapura.

The regent also invited directly by the agent. In previous conversation made, the Regent received an offer from tourism travelling agent in Singapore to anchoring 440 units of their cruises per year or averagely 2 ships every day with 2,000-3,000 passenger capacity per unit.

“Cruise Port in Singapore is no longer able to accommodate all cruises make them taken interest with our port here,” the regent said after leading a ceremony to celebrate Mother Day yesterday.

In 2011, Tanah Ampo Port has been visited by 8 units cruises that transporting the jetsetter.

“Most of the cruises came from Europe and US. Today we are proposed to accommodate tourists from Asia due to the change of behavior from high-class tourist tendency, from boarding plan onto cruise,” he said while accompanied by his Vice, I Made Sukerana.

Moreover, those tourists all this time have been interested with the natural beauty of Bali. Therefore, the regent asked for the rice field and mountainous area around the port, located in Ulakan Village, Manggis District of Karangasem Regency keep maintained.

“We cannot shifting the function of rice field around this area as well as the mountain areas. We need to keep it green and become tourist attraction,” he said.

Yet, he was optimist that the offer came from Singapore becoming unacceptable concerning the limited supported facilities in Tanah Ampo.

Besides, Karangasem Regional Government also given full privilege by the central government to manage the port, which located one kilometer away from Padang Bai-Lombok Port.

“We are ready to continuing the development of this port if the government has given us the full right, in which it has initiated from President Yudhoyono himself for us coordinated with Transportation Department,” he said.

The port initially built using State Expense and Revenue Budgetary, Bali Provincial Expense and Revenue Budgetary and Karangasem Expense and Revenue Budgetary. Central government responsible for the path on sea to the port, Bali Provincial Government on the dock, and Karangasem government is the one responsible to provide 2.5 hectare.

“We can categorized the port development to be finished since it had visited by many cruises still it has not final since the ships could not docking perfectly and still need pontoon,” said Wayan Geredeg.

He also said that Tanah Ampo Port can solve fatigue sense at Benoa Harbor. “Benoa dedicated for cargo and passenger. Tanah Ampo specialized with cruise,” he said.

The regent viewed the importance of Tanah Ampo since all this time there is no cruise port in Indonesia.

“Such in Semarang and Surabaya is a general port that visited by cruise meanwhile Tanah Ampo specifically projected as cruise port with international standard,” he said.

Tanah Ampo Port will become the main supporting sector for tourism in Bali, especially concerning 1 tourism objects in Karangasem, among them are Besakih Temple, Laut Kubu Park and Mount Agung.

“Moreover with nowadays regulation that will combine tourism with creative economic and surely Tanah Ampo will surely feel the benefit to develop local prosperty,” Wayan Geredeg said.

News by Antara Bali

“Although Bali had once said as the island of hell then followed by bomb in Solo but in fact, the international community who come holidaying to this island keep increasing. They believe that this tourism island was safe and comfortable,” said tourism observer, Nyoman Putra.

The foreign tourists who come directly from their country with main destination to holidaying in this island during September 2011 reached 251,737 tourists. It showed significant development from last year that merely able to gathered 250,835 tourists.

It means that international community still hell bent to come and visit Bali despite the famous Kuta Beach, the belle of foreign tourists had once reportedly as the hell area due to its waste accumulation and traffic congestion.

Putra said that it can be achieved solely because the cooperation formed by the security forces and local people in Bali therefore domestic and foreign tourists come holidaying to Bali feels safe and comfortable.

According to the latest report from Bali Tourism Division, tourists visiting Bali in 2011, precisely up to September, has reached 2,052,083 people or in other words, increasing 10.36 percent in the same period last year, which was recorded 1,859,459 tourists only.

News by Antara Bali

To reach Nusa Penida, we can go there with boat from Sanur Beach. The ticket itself can be bought for IDR 65,000

The traveling from Sanr to Nusa Penida can cost 45 minutes on boat. During the trip, people will see lots of natural beauty, passing over two small island, Lembongan and Ceningan. Once reach Nusa Penida, the tour on this island can begin with people renting car with varied tariff suit the location they wish to have.

In order to see the live of Bali Starling in Nusa Penida for instance, we can use public transportation typical this island with IDR350,000 only. With this public transportation, we can see 12 observation points spread in several banjars or village in Nusa Penida.

“In Nusa Penida, there will be 12 observation points where we can see Bali Starling such as in Banjar Nyuh, Tanah Bias, Banjar Bodong, Banjar Ped, Puseh, Dalem Bungkut, which location is quite close. Those further into the island is in Banjar Sebun Ibus, Tiying Jajan and Banjar Biaung,” Ketut Agus Artana explained, the Bali Starling observation staff in Nusa Penida.

Aside from becoming object of research for students in Bali, this Bali starling observation tour in Nusa Penida Island has long taken the interest of Australian and American.

“Aside from seeing the live of Bali starling in wild life directly, they also able to enjoy the natural beauty in Nusa Penida,” Ketut continued.

News by Berita Bali

“Most of them came through Ngurah Rai Airport with direct flight to their destination country with only 22,757 of them through the port using cruise,” said head of Bali Provincial Central Statistic Bureau, Ir. Gede Suarsa MSi in Denpasar on Friday.

He said that in 2011 Bali Provincial Government put target for tourists’ arrival to reach 2.6 million to 2.8 million visitors. That number is higher than the real fact of tourists visiting Bali last year, which were 2.57 million people.

The government is optimist they able to realize that target considering the significant amplifying number of the first eight months foreigners visiting Bali, which has reached 1.84 million numbers of people.

News by Antara Bali

“It shows significant development and make Singapore raise onto seventh position from ninth among 10 countries’ largest tourists supplier to Bali,” said head of Bali Central Statistical Division in Denpasar.

in 2010 Singaporean who enjoying the uniqueness of Balinese art and culture as well as its beautiful scenery were 97,402 tourists that also shown well development from the previous year, in which it visited by 55,992 tourists.

“Singapore is one of Bali potential tourism market. We hope people from that country will more and more come to this island,” he said.

He also added that Singaporean who holidaying in Bali most of them going through Ngurah Rai International airport with direct flight from their country. Only ten people recorded going through port with cruise.

Singaporean able to contribute 3.96 percent from the total of foreign tourists come to Bali which in its first seven month in 2011 were 1.58 million tourists. It increase 10.60 percent from the same period last year that only 1.43 million tourists.

News by Antara Bali

“Most of them come from Ngurah Rau Airport, Bali using direct flight from their country, only five persons recorded come from harbor with cruise,” said head of Bali Provincial Center Statistic Bureau, Gede Suarsa in Denpasar on Monday.

Meanwhile, during 2010, according to him, Chinese comes to Bali are 196,925 or decrease 4.48 percent compare to the same period in the previous year that was 206,151 people.

China is in second place after Australia as the top ten countries supplying tourists into Bali. The line then followed by Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, England, Russian, Singapore and France.

Gede Suarsa said that it could not be free from China economic condition and the direct flight service China-Bali hopes that it will keep increasing in the future.

Bali-China actually has emotional relationship since there is centuries of cooperation have been formed, since twelfth century and stand as the mute evidence of that interaction. It can be seen from the influence reflected on this island art, religious place or even at its architecture that clearly shown Chinese influence.

Even the use of Chinese coins are still used in varied of Hindu religious activities in Bali until today.

“With this good relationship between Bali and China hoped Chinese come to Bali will keep increasing in the future,” Gede Suarsa said.

China able to contribute around 8.23 percent from the total number of tourists come to Bali or in other word, it is 1.05 million people in the first month in 2011. It raised 6.61 percent compared to the same period last year that was recorded 992,335 people.

Gede Suarsa added that from top ten tourists supplied countries into Bali, eight of them increased significantly and only two countries showed derivation.

Those eight countries, aside from China, are Australian with 29.34 percent escalations, Malaysia with 25.41 percent, 0.45 percent from South Korea then followed by England with 31.74 percent. Singapore is 33.23 percent, France with 8.37 percent and finally Russia with 25.72 percent.

Meanwhile, two countries which percentage decreased are Japan and Taiwan. Japanese decreased 24.60 percent showed by only 74,999 people come to Bali in the first five months in 2011 whereas it were 99,473 Japanese in Bali on the same period last year. Taiwan was 4.87 percent where only 52.157 people come to the island, decreased from their initial numbers last year that were 54,628 people.

News by Antara Bali

“Promoting both areas in East Indonesia is part of direct domestic program promotion,” said Director of Domoestic Promotion for Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affair, M Faried Moerolo to the press when visiting one of the shopping center in Kuta Badung, used as the promotion location.

He said that the promotion for both areas, which have adequate tourism potential and completed with suffice accommodation, will be conducted in different dates on May 2011.

For the location, it will takes place at Discovery mall Kuta. Maluku promotion will on May 6-8 whilst Papua on May 20-22.

“We choose Bali as our promo location since this island has direct return flight for Maluku and Papua,” he said.

He explained that aside from becoming the center for Indonesian tourism, Bali not also targeted by foreign tourists but also domestic. Still, fund allocated for this promotion event still low. There is only IDR200 million given for each area.

“We spend not quire big for this promotion, only IDR400 million for both areas,” he said.

Faried said that the concept of that promotion will be conducted proactively. It means that tourists candidate and explain the potential of those areas. Aside from being proactive, his party would also interaction with the tourism entrepreneur and tourist candidate.

The concept is to build positive image and push over transaction and tourism product selling in both areas and raising number of tourist visiting as well as stimulate investment.

“Based on the report we received in that area, number of tourists visiting still very low, for Maluku in a year there are only 584 people meanwhile 3.200 tourists in Papua,” he said.

News by Antara Bali

“Nowadays, between hotel availability with the need is imbalance already. Thus, Asita viewed that moratorium is the exact decision to be conducted, especially in South Bali area except for another regency,” said head of DPD Asita Bali, Al Purwa in his press conference at ANTARA Denpasar.

He explained that according to the 2010 statistic data, average number for hotel occupancy in Bali is between 49 to 52 percent. It shows the lack of occupancy around 48 percent or in another word the occurrence of supply and need imbalance.

It means that there are many hotel rooms already. If the average of room occupancy is 75 percent already then that was time for us to think about giving a chance for the development of accommodation facilities or even any other tourism accommodation.

“The law of supply and demand as one of the reference to the development policy in the future has yet utilized both by the government institution or private companies,” he said.

He viewed that until today, there is no accurate date concerning total number of facilities and infrastructure for tourism in Bali, such as accommodation facilities, travel agency service, transportations service, food and beverage service and many others.

In order to achieve permanent tourism development that brings benefit for the cultural preservation, environment and fairly increase people prosperity, Asita appreciate and support the arrangement of tourism in Bali as has been regulated in Perda RTRW.

News by Antara Bali

This Agriculture Professor in Unud asserted that the government idea to develop airport and train transportation indirectly hastening the Bali destruction process, both in term of physic, social and cultural point of view. According to that man, the 1945 daily board chairman of Bali Province, Buleleng that is located at the north shore of Bali more appropriate to be developed into an agricultural area. Generally, it means that Buleleng could providing agriculture products supply to the tourism sector in South Bali that covers Denpasar, Badung and Gianyar.

The international airport development, according to him, could eating thousands hectares of land, make it shifting function into hotel or any other tourism accommodations as an after effect. Thus, land shifting condition that until today uncontrollable will worsening than before. Each year, reduction of agricultural land for development including tourism is up to 700 hectare. “Thus, if this second airport development is realized that Bali destruction cannot be avoided,” Windia said that is also head of Udayana University Quality Guarantor Bureau.

She noted the result of SCETO research and study result of tourism industry in Bali, this French consultant said that the island allowed only has 24.000 stars hotel rooms in order to support Bali. But nowadays, there are 55.000 stars hotel rooms in Bali make Bali need to conduct moratorium toward its physical development in relation with tourism aspect.

That efforst is needed in order to maintain environment stability and preservation in Bali in order to avoid any natural disaster. Furthermore, government firm steps to stop the development in tourism sector and concentrating in agricultural development.

Government idea to develop the second international airport facility after Ngurah Rai, that will be located in Buleleng need around 1.000 hectare of land. According to the conditions required, the area is not more than 60 kilometer from center of public activities and technically fulfilling the condition for international airport development.

According to Bali Governor, Made Mangku Pastika, Buleleng is the wider regency in Bali and is formerly the capital of Bali-Nusa Tenggara Province (Sunda Kecil) hoped could fulfilling the technical conditions required for international airport development. Buleleng is chosen due to the imbalance development between South and North Bali therefore the development of this international airport can give balance for both areas. International Airport in South Bali area, each year serves at least 2.5 million foreign tourists and 4 million domestic.

News by Bali Post