Bipan Kapur Heads The Westin and BICC

Bipan Kapur has been appointed General Manager of the 350-room The Westin Nusa Dua and the adjoining Bali International Convention Center (BICC). Commenting on his recent appointment, Bipan said: “I am looking forward to learning more about this beautiful island, working with the people and re-initiating the Westin brand of hospitality. Westin is more than just a hotel. It’s a destination where our guests are understood and where they can be at their best. Providing a series of experiences through our signature initiatives such as Unwind-A Westin evening ritual, Westin Destination Club, runWESTIN, ensuring that guests feel better when they leave than when they arrived.”

Before joining The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bipan opened the inaugural Westin-branded property in India, The Westin Sohna Gurgaon Resort & Spa (TWSG). Bipan has been associated with Starwood since 1992. Past assignment include working as a F&B Manager with Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast, Australia, prior to stints in China, Malaysia and Brunei. A graduate from the Oberoi School of Hotel Management he also holds a Masters degree in Hotel administration from the Institut de Management Hotelier International (Cornell/ESSEC) - Paris, France. An Australian national, Bipan is married and has a son. He is a keen golfer and swims to stay fit.

Bipan replaces Jan Bungaard who held the same position at The Westin since April 2005.

Syaiful Imron Holds the Purse Strings at The Westin

Syaiful Imron has been appointed Financial Controller at The Westin and BICC. Prior joining the Resort, Syaiful served as the Financial Controller of Sheraton Surabaya Hotel and Towers and has been associated with Starwood since 1995. He is a graduate from STEI Perbanas majoring in Finance and started his career in the hospitality industry as Income Auditor of Sheraton Surabaya Hotel and Towers.

Syaiful and his wife are the proud parents of three children.

News by Bali Discovery Tours - balidiscovery.com

Antara quotes an unnamed business person from Bali’s aviation sector as saying while rising fuels costs played a role in the two airline’s decision to stop Bali flights, a lack of “attention” from the management of Indonesia’s airports were also a factor in the decision to cease flying to Bali. The source said that the incentive given to airlines by Indonesian airport operators were “minimal” and that, in fact, airport management (in Indonesia) are more inclined to “squeeze” airline operators by posting high airport use tariffs. Conversely, the observer said that during difficult periods, such as the current oil crisis, many airport managers overseas actually extend special incentives to airlines by discounting service fees in order to preserve air service to their destinations.

The observer told Antara: “This is the problem, here at (Bali’s) Ngurah Rai Airport a progressive tariff is in place that allows the first two hours of aircraft parking to be free, but for periods of more than two hours a multiple of the tariff if applied. Airports in Indonesia are expensive.” The anonymous spokesperson said that when oil prices increase the management of the airport should extend incentives to stimulate air commerce and maintain existing air corridors. Adding: “It’s not that airlines don’t want to fly, there just unable to pay Indonesia’s non-competitive fees which contain no ‘incentive discounts.’ Our airlines are in a ‘dazed’ condition resulting from the sudden rise in oil world prices.”

Staying in Touch with Our Customers

The observer also complained that Indonesia’s Department of Foreign Affair, Department of Communications and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism were less than attentive in maintaining a sound business nurturing relationship with the host governments of the airlines that fly to Indonesia. He reasoned that with a strong lobby Continental Airlines would not have decided to withdraw from Bali and could, in fact, have been encouraged to add frequencies to Bali while stopping flights to Cairns in Australia. This was not done, he said, and Continental decided to cancel Bali while preserving its services to Cairns.

Continental’s Manager Speaks

When Antara contacted the local manager of Continental Airlines at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport, Dara Mustika, she commented that some 50 destinations served by her airline have recently been cut with around 2,000 employees losing their jobs. When asked about the cost of using Bali’s airport, Mustika confirmed that in the course of a single visit by a Continental 737 around US$3,000 in airport service fees are incurred.

Underling the impact of higher fuel costs, Mustika also advised that during the four-month period of January-April, Continental paid Pertamina US$412,000 for aviation fuel. This compares to only US$917,000 paid for fuel by the airline for the entire year of 2006 and US$1,065,000 for fuel for the entire calendar year of 2007.

News by Bali Discovery Tours - balidiscovery.com

At the Bali inauguration ceremony President Yudhoyono said: “Many tourists visiting natural places like Bali insist that the destination be clean and healthy.” In addition the project is hoped to improve the health of the local population while echoing the United Nation’s “International Year of Sanitation.”

The Indonesian President told the audience attending the ceremony that many countries envied Bali. The President revealed that a certain country in the Middle East has attempted to build an area resembling Bali, even to the point of duplicating beaches and the local flora. Nonetheless, said President Yudhoyono, no place can compare to Bali if the people of the Island maintain a commitment to keeping the island paradise clean.

The inauguration held on June 14th marks the completion of the first-phase of a three-phase program. The first phase was funded by the Central Government, the Provincial Government, the City of Denpasar and locals from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) at a total cost of Rp. 600 billion (US$64.5 million).

The new sewerage system is able to serve 250,000 people in the Seminyak, Legian, Kuta and Sanur areas of South Bali along a piping system running 129 kilometers. The second phase is scheduled to be built in 2009 with an equivalent amount of funding required. The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2014.

The Minister of Public Works, Djoko Kirmanto, said sewage handling systems are currently being built in Medan, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Solo and Cirebon.

News by Bali Discovery Tours - balidiscovery.com

The Minister for Public Works, Djoko Kirmanto, estimates not less than Rp. 400 billion (US$43.01 million) is needed to build shore defenses for Sanur, Nusa Dua and Padang Galak. “In Sanur Rp. 116 billion (US$12.47 million), Nusa Dua Rp. 142 billion (US$15.27 million) and Padang Galak Rp. 152 billion (US$16.34 million) are needed,” said the Minister in his address at the inauguration of the Denpasar Sewerage Project in Suwung, Denpasar on Saturday, June 14, 2008.

The District head for the Department of Public Works in Bali, I Nyoman Ray Yusha, admitted that the government is only able to repair 53% of the eroded shorelines. “From 91 kilometers, only 50 kilometers (have been repaired),” said Yusha.

Repairs on eroded shorelines include sand filling and breakwater construction. In addition, Yusha continued, the government is also undertaking the construction of artificial reefs at Kuta, Sanur, Nusa Dua and Tanah Lot. The beaches currently undergoing rehabilitation are at Kuta, Buleleng, Klungkung and Padang Galak.

The total amount of funds spent to date by the government to address eroding shorelines equals Rp. 900 billion (US$96.8 million). According to Nyoman, the government has allocated an additional Rp. 200 billion (US$21.5 million) to address Bali’s continuing erosion problems combined with funds from the Central Government, provincial sources and loans.

News by Bali Discovery Tours - balidiscovery.com

The Cultural Congress and the Fate of the Art Center

The Cultural Congress which was held for the first time on June 14th may discuss various issues connected with Bali’s culture, but it can’t ignore the fate of Bali’s Art Centre. Now more than 3 decades old, the glamour of the Art Centre and home to the Bali Arts Center has faded and in some way resembles some sort of prehistoric site.

In its current fragile state, Bali’s Art Centre stands as a paradox on an island that is very proud of its cultural performing arts but is without a representative stage on which to present them.

Seen from the perspective street and stage culture (Kadir H. Din 1999), it can be said that Bali is rich in street culture, but poor in stage culture.

Street culture is defined as culture that can be enjoyed on public streets, not on a formal stage. This type of culture flourishes among the common people and is performed by those same people as a part of their traditional lives. To cite several examples of street culture in Bali: ogoh-ogoh, ngelawang and various traditional processions. Visitors to Bali often encounter parades and processions as they travel through the Island’s cities and villages.

Stage culture is, as its name implies, presented on a stage. While street culture operates independently of any stage, stage culture demands a stage and a performance venue.

In the past there were several formal, quality stages dedicated to Bali’s performance, such as Batubulan, Singapadu and the Denpasar Arts Centre for the presentation of kecak dances and barong performances. These venues hosted not only tourists but also State visitors who were all proudly invited to witness Balinese cultural performances.

These stages still exist, but have lost their shine due to a lack of tourist visitors and unprofessional management. Meanwhile, the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park which was built 10 years ago remains uncompleted due to financial difficulties and internal conflicts between management and the owners.

With the exception of entertainment venues managed by hotels of private entrepreneurs, or palaces such as that found in Ubud, Bali is almost devoid of permanent performance stages of which the Balinese can be proud. If we Balinese or tourist wish to view a traditional arts performance, where do we go?

Renovation of the Art Centre

The renovation of the Bali Arts Centre is one solution that will address the dearth of suitable venues for Bali’s stage culture. Now more than 30 years old, the Art Centre can once again become a cultural landmark of which we can all be proud. The Ardha Chandra open stage with its tall ceremonial door still looks good in photographs. But, as the years have taken their toll the condition of the Art Centre is increasingly sad. Many buildings are in disrepair, roofs are damaged and leaking, walls are crumbling, temples are pock marked, and the stages are covered with dust and mold.

What does the Art Centre look like today? A trip to the Art Centre is like visiting a local bird market. There is no initial impression worthy of our admiration; there is no vibration of beauty from what should be a cultural landmark. We do not stand in awe but only shake our heads in disbelief. Is this it? The center of Balinese culture?While we may be proud that foreign artists, including gamelan groups from Japan and America, desire to perform at the Art Center during the Bali Arts Festival, we are compelled to ask: Is this a suitable stage for their performance?

Have we seen our artists perform at the Art Center under a roof made of coconut leaves, only to watch the performance abruptly end when it starts to rain? Ask the Balinese artists who have performed abroad and they will speak in praise of the quality of the foreign stages.

Therefore, there is little choice but for Bali to renovate the Art Center. In that renovation performance stages must be repaired and performance venues brought up to date. The Ksiranawa theatre needs new lighting, a new stage design and a modern sound system. Exhibition buildings must also be upgraded to an international standard and made suitable for the display of valuable paintings.

The renovation of the Ardha Chandra must not only be made beautiful but structurally sound. Use stones and good construction materials like those found in Japanese temples that are elegant and able to withstand weather and earthquakes. Let’s stop using inexpensive stone material (paras) that look good only at the grand opening but quickly deteriorate thereafter.

If three decades ago, under the command of the Director General of Culture and later Governor of Bali Professor Ida Bagus Mantra, Bali was able to build the then impressive Art Center with the Ardha Chandra stage, we must certainly be able to rebuild an even more remarkable facility today. Traditional Balinese architects (Undagi) working with modern architects and foreign consultants can work together to create a master plan for the renovation of the Bali Arts Center.

What matters is that the Art Center can become a cultural performance stage for the future, reflecting that Bali is not only a home to street culture but also to an impressive stage culture.

Any renovation must be accompanies by professional management. Performances and exhibitions can be held on a regular schedule in order to stimulate creativity. When a State visitor comes to Bali, they can be invited to the Art Centre, shown quality Balinese performances, exposed to fine Balinese paintings and be overwhelmed with the magnificence of Bali’s traditional culture. In this way the image of Balinese culture which has been developed since colonial times can be revitalized.

Is money a problem? Perhaps this is not really the issue. Every year Bali spends billions of rupiahs on the Bali Arts Festival, why are we unable to find the funds to renovate the Art Centre? If the Art Centre is allowed to fall into ruin we will have lost a source of Balinese pride in our native culture. Can the participants at the Cultural Congress prevent the ruin of the Art Centre?

News by Bali Discovery Tours - balidiscovery.com

However, while Bali’s tourism business is increasingly buoyant, exports from the island are down.

According to a quarterly report form Bank Indonesia, the sheer increase in foreign visitors to Bali testifies to the growing faith in the destination, the average length of stay in Bali has decreased to just 3.65 days.

Bali’s Declining Exports

Bank Indonesia’s statisticians have issued warning signals that economic slow downs in developed countries, such as the United States, are raising fears that Bali’s export markets may be adversely affected by the ailing world economy. Further suggesting that Bali’s exports may be under threat are export figures covering the first two months of 2008 showing total exports of US$47.5 million, a decline of 10.37% over the same period last year. The biggest decline in exports were tracked to declining purchases by two of Bali’s largest export markets, Japan and the United States.

Positive Balance of Trade

Despite declining exports, Bali continues to log a very positive balance of trade. During the first two months of 2008 Bali imported US$7.42 million resulting in a positive trade balance of US$40.08 million for that period.

News by Bali Discovery Tours - balidiscovery.com

Provisionally renamed as the Bank of Banks (BoB), the acquisition and start-up funding will come from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank and Dutch sources. The new bank will strive to move away from the “hand-out” format of assistance to the poor to a more sustainable institutional format that can offer micro loans and savings accounts, provide insurance, mortgage finance, remittance services and mobile banking.

Aiming to eventually serve 16 million Indonesians by 2011, BoB is said to be seeking to serve their clients via cell phones, ATMs and the Internet. Observers laud the project, saying that the model can be quickly expanded to other countries in the region and is capable of permanently lifting 45 million people out of poverty over the next decade.

“Bank of Banks is expected to revolutionize the way microfinance works in Indonesia and beyond,” said Neal Keny-Guyer, chief executive of Mercy Corps.

PT Bank Sri Partha has two dozen branch offices. The new owners plan to move the headquarters to Jakarta.

News by Bali Discovery Tours - balidiscovery.com

The Houston, Texas-based airline is the fourth largest carrier in the United States with 151 domestic destinations. Internationally, the airline flies to 120 cities in Canada, Latin America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific. As part of the massive restructuring some 3,000 jobs will also be cut from a payroll of more than 40,000 employees. 67 airplanes are also slated to be retired from Continental’s fleet.

The decisions by Continental follows similar slashes in jobs, fleets and schedules by United Airlines and American Airlines.

Bad News for Bali

Nine of the cities on the Continental domestic network to be closed are Oakland, Palm Springs, Reno, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Green Bay, Chattanooga, Toledo, and Montgomery, Alabama.

Six of the International ports scheduled for closing are: Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia; Cali, Colombia; Cologne, Germany; Guayaquil, Ecuador; Monclova, Mexico; and Santiago, Dominican Republic.

This is a partial list with 40 destinations in all expected to be axed.

The formal date for ending the twice weekly Bali flight is yet to be confirmed by Continental Airline. Continental is the only U.S. flag carrier serving Indonesia.

News by Bali Discovery Tours - balidiscovery.com

The Bali segments will focus on four Bondi regulars training with their Balinese counterparts on the sometimes treacherous big surf of Bali’s most popular public beach.

Bondi Rescue: Bali

The Bali spin-off will be called Bondi Rescue: Bali and is set to be aired starting in late 2008. The “Boys in Blue” Bali episodes will feature Bali’s dedicated lifesavers alongside program regulars Ryan “Whippett” Clarke, Dean “Deano” Gladstone, Andrew “Reidy” Reid and Anthony “Harries” Carroll.

Bondi Rescue: Bali will eventually be aired not only in Australia but also in the UK, New Zealand, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Germany.

News by Bali Discovery Tours - balitours.com

The first international hotel within Tourist Development Corporation (BTDC) complex in Nusa Dua Bali, the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa’s unique Balinese architecture has played host to numerous heads of states, including an official visit by the late U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

As the result of the successful launch of the hotel, the Nusa Dua Complex is now a fully developed accommodation, shopping and entertainment center that is host to leading hotels offering more than 4,500 rooms.

The beach in front of the 381-room hotel was the venue for a 25th anniversary beach party with separate food stalls offering cuisine selections from around the world.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of long-service awards to more than 100 staff who have worked at the Resort since its opening 25 years ago.

News by Bali Discovery Tours - balidiscovery.com