Badung to revive hotel and restaurant association

BADUNG: Badung regency said it plans to revive its hotel and restaurant association, following a five-year absence.

Perry Markus, the secretary of the Bali branch of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurant Association (PHRI), said Badung was a key tourist destination with hundreds of rated hotels, luxury restaurants and other tourist facilities.

PHRI's Badung branch is important to providing a forum for the regency's tourist industry, he added.

"Badung is undergoing rapid tourist development but many key people in the industry remain unaware of existing regulations, market shares and the real supply and demand of facilities," Perry said. - JP

thejakartapost.com

Badung gets new capital

BADUNG: Badung regency got a new capital on Thursday after Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi officially inaugurated the regency's sprawling new administrative center and named it Mangupura. The center will serve as the regency's new capital city.

The administrative center covers 46.6 hectares and cost Rp 470 billion to build. Its development was marred by controversy over the high cost as well as the fact that it was built on land designated as the regency's green belt.

"I thought I was going to inaugurate a small building. It turns out that the size *of the administration center* is 10 times the average size of other regency administration centers in Indonesia," the minister said.

However, he said, the owners of the administration center were the people of Badung as the regent only borrows it from the people during his tenure.

"Give the public the best service," he stressed.

Badung is one of the wealthiest regions in Bali with local revenue of Rp 858 billion and an annual budget of Rp. 1.3 trillion in 2010. - JP

thejakartapost.com

Foreign Tourist like the Legong Dance

DENPASAR,  - Legong, one of Balinese classical dance has its own charm and is very popular overseas and domestic tourists while enjoying a holiday on the island. "Dance is very flexible, supple, with a dynamic motions presented by some very brilliant woman, either now or in the future," said AA Kusuma Ayu Arini SST Msi, a lecturer in the Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI) Denpasar, Monday (19 / 4 / 2010).
Dance is very flexible, supple, with a dynamic motions brought by several women.

 

Agreed with Ayu, two other ISI faculty, Cok Putra Padmini SST Wife Msn and Ni Made Rai Kasumari Bambang Msi SST, also mentions that the popularity of the Legong dance never subsided.

 

Arini Kusuma explains, Legong is a cultural inheritance from two centuries ago that continue sustainable from one generation to the next. Legong dance in addition to the foundation's daughter, also a prima donna of the various types of Balinese dance, which for this type of dance is unique compared to other regions in Indonesia.

 

"Legong dance style that had been famous in Bali is a flow Peliatan, Saba and the flow of Badung," says Padmini Cak added.

 

Among these three schools of dance kegong, Peliatan the most active force in conducting a regular gig as a dance spectacle.

 

Legong registered already quite popular among the public since 1931, after Sekaha Art Peliatan entered the stage to Europe to tone up "Colonial Exhibition" in Paris. Legong addition, the arena was also shown Calonarang.

 

Kusumari Rai added, Sekaha Peliatan Art, Ubud, Gianyar, back stage for a second time in Europe and the United States in 1952. Overseas trip for the second time it was sponsored by a British impresario, John Coast. "Legong Peliatan may be regarded as a pioneer in Bali pariwsata promotion abroad," she said.

 

"I was so impressed with Legong dance performance in London, to the point that BBC Radio London wearing the accompaniment of dance music to broadcast Indonesian introduction for more than a dozen years," said Cok Padmini.

 

Success in overseas performances and is known in some areas of Indonesia, has been making dance for the aspirant able to maintain the distinctiveness of the dance movements.

 

For the sake of it, he said, which was considered the most instrumental in print reliably dancers is a duet AA Gde Mandera and Gusti Made Sengog, both are now gone. They are considered instrumental in expressing style and movement vocabulary specific Legong.

 

"Peliatan Village, Ubud, from then until now doing continuous Legong dance performances, both for performances related to a ceremony or to entertain tourists," says Kusuma Arini.

 

KOMPAS.com

Controversy Bali gigolo movie "Kuta Tourism Growing Not because Gigolo"

Bali Tourism Board chairman Ngurah Wijaya sure, the emergence of a gigolo movie titled Cowboys in Paradise is very little impact on the tourism image of the island known as cultural tourism.

 

The image that the gigolo is one attraction for tourists Kuta Beach woman as depicted in the movie Cowboys in Paradise rebutted by Gusti Ketut Sudira, Bendesa Adat Kuta or Kuta Customary Village Head. "Tourism Kuta grow not because of a gigolo," said Sudira.

 

He did not dismiss the existence of male female entertainer in Kuta. According to him, gigolo in Kuta existing since 20 years ago when tourism began to be known world Kuta. 'The existence of a gigolo in Kuta has existed since the first. However, it covertly and illegally, 'added Sudira, Tuesday (04/27/2010).

 

He believes, the gigolo hide behind the traders who make a living day-to-day in Kuta. "Sometimes sellers do not understand and are protecting them by telling this friend of mine," added Sudira. To anticipate this, Sudira will give instructions to the trader that is not easy to accept people from outside who do not have identities.

 

One member of the Agency for Tourism Saviour Tirta (Balawista), Putu Arya, also denied that the purpose of tourists in here just looking for a gigolo. "I often take guests (Caucasian) dinner, but I'm just friends," he said.

 

"The possibility that (gigolo) exist, but do not be generalized," Arya added.

 

Translate form Kompas

Gigolo Movie Not Affect Citra Bali

"I think people will still see that Bali is Bali with the main icon as the cultural and natural attractions. So, the influence of the film is very small for decreasing the image of Bali," he said in Denpasar, on Wednesday.

 

Nevertheless, he said, the problem remains to be seen as a valuable lesson because of the phenomenon of prostitution who used the guise of tourism, it could really happen in foreign tourist destinations.

 

"Similarly, the phenomenon of filming without permission by foreigners should be the government's attention. Pratik Regarding prostitution, as depicted in the film, it is difficult to prove whether or not there. This is a social problem that must be a common concern," he said.

 

He acknowledged, if indeed such a gigolo practice really exist in Kuta, it is the excesses of the tourism industry must find a way out so as not to damage the tourism image of Bali as a whole.

 

"Bali is different from Thailand, so these problems need to look for a way out so that this practice can be eliminated," he said.

 

He also reminded the media not too encouraging news about the film so that the issue could soon subside.

 

translate from kompas

Alila receives ASEAN Green Hotel Award

UBUD: Alila Manggis in East Bali and Alila Ubud in Gianyar received the ASEAN Green Hotel Award for their commitment to supporting responsible tourism.

The ASEAN Green Hotel Award is one of six ASEAN Tourism Standards considered essential for supporting ASEAN to become a world-class destination.

The award is presented to hotels that measure up to 11 environmental and energy conservation criteria.

Among the criteria are environmental policies and actions for hotel operation, use of green and local products, collaboration with the local community on environmental protection, the hotel's steps to providing staff training programs on environmental management, as well as efficient management of water, energy, waste, air quality and noise pollution.

Organizers of the award said Alila Manggis and Alila Ubud fully embraced Alila's philosophy that commerce, conservation and community could and should be integrated. - JP

http://www.thejakartapost.com

Bali Cultural Center to be built in India

DENPASAR: Bali Hindu Center will be built on a 2-hectare plot near the Ganges River to allow visitors to learn more about the island's culture and religion.

Indra Udayana from Ashram Gandhi Puri said the center would serve as a cultural and religious bridge connecting Balinese and Indian people. The Ganges is considered a sacred river in Hinduism.

"Every year, millions of people visit the site for spiritual enlightenment," Udayana said.

"Therefore, it would be quite strategic to introduce Balinese culture to fellow Hindus from around the world," he said.

The development of the center was an initiative by Hindu leaders such as Pedanda (High Priest) Made Gunung, Ibu Gedong Bagoes Oka and former  Bali governors Ida Bagus Mantra and Dewa Made Beratha. — JP

The Jakarta Post, Denpasar