0 Stakeholders must prepare for major events

As this year would see the eyes of the world focus on Bali for a variety of reasons, the island should ensure various crucial factors, including security and human resources, were ready, the Bali Hotels Association (BHA) said. Bali will host world leaders during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in October and the World Trade Organization meeting in December. The island is also to welcome participants of the Miss World pageant for a short stay, before the crowning ceremony in Jakarta in September. 

The events prove that Bali remains popular as an international meeting destination, and the association was upbeat that these activities would bring significant benefits to the island’s tourism this year. “With world-class events like these, it is important that Bali has the capacity to cope with increasing demands on its transportation systems, as well as first-rate hotels and resorts,” the association chairman, Djinaldi Gosana, said on Tuesday. 

He emphasized some crucial issues that were in need of improvement, including cleanliness and sanitation, human resources working in public facilities, security, as well as a stable supply of food and beverages of a quality consistent with that required for delegates and participants of major events. “For security at hotels, our members have prepared themselves through standardization of security measures. Some have undergone assessment by a third party to ensure they have the required standards,” Djinaldi said. 

Gearing up for the influx of visitors to the island for the international events, the association welcomed the infrastructure developments that are on course for completion this year, as well as the new hotel openings. The ongoing major improvements to the island’s infrastructure have further fueled optimism for the tourism sector this year. These physical improvements include the expansion of Ngurah Rai International Airport, the construction of a toll road connecting Benoa, Bali’s airport and Nusa Dua, and the construction of an underpass at the Dewa Ruci intersection. 

Bali was visited by 2,949,332 foreign tourists last year, a rise of 4.3 percent compared to the previous year, according to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). The five top tourist markets for Bali last year were Australia, China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea, respectively contributing 27.12 percent, 10.75 percent, 6.40 percent, 5.75 percent and 4.18 percent of tourist arrivals. The average hotel occupancy of BHA-member hotels in 2012 was 64.1 percent per month, while in December it reached 71 percent. 

The BHA also cited BPS figures reporting there were more than 22,000 hotel rooms available in Bali at the end of 2011. In 2012, more than 3,400 additional hotel rooms came onto the market. For this year, another 4,700 rooms are scheduled for opening, with a further 4,100 rooms between 2014 and 2016. According to the association’s data, there are a number of new star-rated hotels expected to welcome their guests this year. Among these are Le Meridien in Jimbaran; Mantra Resort in Nusa Dua; Sofitel in Nusa Dua; Regent in Sanur; Westin in Ubud; Courtyard by Marriott in Seminyak; Holiday Inn in Benoa; Centara Grand in Nusa Dua; Maya in Sanur; and Double Six in Seminyak.

source : bali daily