Archive for March, 2006
Sitting in my room with no internet access, I am typing and listening to the rain pounding on the roof. I can tell this is going to last for a while because we have a solid slate-grey sky. Tourists will hate it but I like it because it gives the island’s water supply a chance to re generate. The last thing we need is a bad ice crop.
Last night Ika and I watched a DVD, Mulholland Drive and believe it or not, I was wearing a sweater. Evening temperatures were cool after a shower and very pleasant.
Here is the 10 day weather forecast for Bali.
March 21st, 2006
Ana our pembantu brought up something this morning, Nyepi Day. Nyepi is the day of silence, where Bali undergoes a spiritual cleansing, with literally everything shut. Shops, beaches, roads, seaports, airports. The pecalang (Hindu traffic cops) are out on patrol and will arrest you if you attempt to go out. What does that leave for a western tourist to do?
Well for a single guy / girl here are your 4 best options:
1) Leave Bali for the Gili Islands
2) Check into a resort and party for 2 days, since resorts are allowed to have restaurants / pools / nightclubs open.
3) Find a friend who owns a big chunk of land and throw a bbq party.
4) Lock yourself in your house with an attractive partner.
My previous attempts at the above met with mixed success. In 2003 I was too dumb to organize any of the above and ended up in my house alone. 2004 I went riding around Lombok for 4 days and 2005 I was in my house with Ika, Awang and Ningrum, which was okay since we bbq’d.
If I was still a single guy I’d prefer options 1 & 4, but this year will try for option 2. The good thing about that is I will have internet access, Ika and Jevon can go to the swimming pool and maybe I can workout. A large bottle of rum will make the whole thing complete and I will get inside info on what a resort type atmosphere is like.
March 21st, 2006
Riding around this afternoon searching for internet, I stopped to snap a few photos. This wasn’t easy as the rain was torrential and my camera / clothing took a soaking just firing off a single shot. First we have the street outside Ronta Bungalows on Gang Ronta between Poppies I & II. Then comes the small walk through to Pasar Agung on Poppies I. I saw one tourist on Jl. Kartika Plaza wearing just his surf shorts, while riding a bicycle. I guess no one ever died of being wet.
Finally we have a shot from the Sunset Rd. Its more like watersports than driving. You could see the exact same things on Jl. Kartika Plaza, Jl. Legian, Jl. Raya Kerobokan. Thankfully it may stop besok.
March 21st, 2006
After the rain came sun. This afternoon was a wonderful present for all those tourists trapped in their hotels the day before. People flock to the beach for all kinds of reasons and today I think everyone was enjoying being outside in the sunshine. Late this afternoon Balinese guys were playing beach soccer, with little portable goals set up. I saw Javanese families with their toddlers, playing at the waters edge and western tourists catching a few rays while reading a book.
AJ Hackett’s bungy tower stood out like a beacon, but I didn’t see anyone jumping. That is one business that gets affected by the wet season! Balinese fishermen come out in late afternoon also to fish from the beach, standing maybe 20 meters apart from each other. The high pressure system meant it was slightly windy, but no worries, we’ll take this over pouring rain any day.
March 21st, 2006
Riding home today after a couple of hours in Kuta, I swung by Kuta Beach. The weather today is gorgeous, blazing sunshine, not too much wind and a bit of swell, though nothing big. Tourists were out renting motorbikes, making calls home and enjoying the beach. Getting down to Kuta gives me a feel of the tourist scene, more so than sitting in my bedroom. At Internet Outpost I watched 2 Australian tourists navigate the process of renting a motorbike. They were unfamiliar with the casual way things work out here and wanted to know all the details. Here in Bali the renter doesn’t care what licence you have, or if you have a licence, for them its all about the money.
Only the cops care about the licence. These people today had an Aussie licence but no International Licence. They were able to rent a like but it meant their insurance would be void. By the way the insurance over here, if its does work, will only cover your car / bike in the case of an accident involving a person without insurance.
March 21st, 2006
September 2006 – October 2007, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca , Spain
UNIVERSITY OF THE BALEARIC ISLANDS (SPAIN), A UNWTO TEDQUAL CERTIFIED INSTITUTION OFFERS SCHOLARSHIP FOR MASTER IN TOURISM AND ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS.
The University of the Balearic Islands offers a substantial scholarship to Government officials working in the area of tourism from UNWTO Member States to complete a Master in Tourism and Environmental Economics. Applications are to be received no later than 15 June 2006.
Scholars Programme
Participation form
Verbal note
March 21st, 2006
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), a United Nations specialised agency, and the Tourism Partnership of the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) announced today a joint initiative on human rights, the Tourism and Human Rights Initiative.
The initiative will create a framework to assist the tourism industry address human rights within their own business operations.
The Tourism and Human Rights Initiative will recognise the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism as the overarching standard to guide the global activities of the project, to be reinforced through the development and adoption of a specific set of human rights principles for the industry, with appendices for individual sectors.
“In a business context advancing human rights is both about managing risk and realizing new opportunities,” said Lyndall De Marco, Executive Director of the IBLF Tourism Partnership. “By respecting, protecting and promoting human rights, companies can help contribute both to a stable operating environment and the well-being of those within their spheres of influence and responsibility. The case for corporate engagement is increasingly clear.”
Tourism is a multifaceted industry. The human rights issues that impact tourism firms are manifold and whilst there are issues - such as diversity and health and safety - that will be applicable to all, a sector by sector approach is also needed to reflect the differing human rights challenges facing, for example, the airline industry compared to those confronting hoteliers.
According to Dawid de Villiers, Special Advisor to UNWTO on ethical matters, “to be truly effective, the tourism industry needs to take a comprehensive approach to human rights, encompassing a wide spectrum of human rights issues, including, but not limited to, concerns around child and bonded labour, workplace health and safety, commercial exploitation of children, the exploitation of migrant workers, discrimination and the displacement of indigenous people and other vulnerable groups”.
These human rights principles will equip participating companies with a tool to respond to the full spectrum of human rights challenges confronting the industry, and specific sector dilemmas. It will enable individual companies to benchmark their human rights performance, and where necessary take steps to update or expand the scope of existing human rights strategies.
Adopting a sector by sector approach and with the support and advice of the highly respected IBLF’s human rights team, the members of the Tourism Partnership will spearhead the process of creating a set of human rights principles for the industry, in partnership with the UNWTO. The process will be inclusive, and will involve broad consultation to ensure accuracy and transparency, engaging with expert representatives from organisations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Global Compact, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), UNDP, UNICEF, bilateral development agencies and civil society groups such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Save the Children.
As hotels are the larger and more complex group swithin the tourism sector they will be the first to be addressed. This sector focussed approach reflects views expressed in the interim report of the special representative of the UN Secretary General on human rights and business . In the report the special representative Professor John Ruggie states “significant differences exist among various industry sectors in terms of the types and magnitude of human rights …. such differences should be reflected in public and private sector policy responses with business and human rights ( Promotion and Protection of Human Rights).
Further stakeholder consultation will follow in the form of sector specific roundtable meetings to be held under the Chatham House Rule to advance the initiative and develop the set of human rights principles for the tourism industry, and appendices for individual sectors. The template can be used to assist each business independently to integrate broader human rights practices within their mainstream operations, and in the long-term serve to raise industry-wide human rights performance and respond to stakeholder expectations.
Looking to the future, a process of continuing discussion will be developed involving members of IBLF’s Tourism Partnership and the UNWTO, and in consultation with external stakeholders, to share learning around the implementation of the human rights principles and emerging good practice.
Notes to Editors:
This initiative should be viewed in the context of ongoing work by IBLF in the issue of business and human rights. With greater public and media scrutiny of the impact of business in society the boundaries of corporate responsibility continues to evolve at a time of increasing global competitive pressure. The case for corporate engagement is present in a recent publication by IBLF: “Human rights: it is your business” available for download at: http://www.iblf.org/resources/general.jsp?id=123709
The text of the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism is available for download from the “Ethics in Tourism” website at: http://www.world-tourism.org/code_ethics/eng/global.htm
For further information please contact:
UNWTO:
Marina Diotallevi, Head of Unit, Ethical and Social Dimensions of Tourism
T: +34 91 567 8172
ethics@world-tourism.org
IBLF:
Lyndall De Marco, Executive Director, Tourism Partnership
T: +44 (0)2 07 467 3627
lyndall.demarco@iblf.org
Lucy Amis, Programme Manager, Business and Human Rights
T: +44 (0)2 07 467 3634
lucy.amis@iblf.org
March 21st, 2006
The Government of Andorra has approved the execution of a feasibility study for the International Centre for Advanced Management in Tourism.
A call for experts interested in carrying out this study is hereby opened. For more information please consult the Government of Andorra Web page at
www.andorra.ad/imatges/imatges_noticies/TORs%20feasibility%20study.doc
The implementation of this study will be managed by the UNWTO.Themis Foundation in Andorra .
March 21st, 2006
The first ever meeting of the UNWTO Destination Council was held in Berlin to coincide with the city’s annual ITB travel fair, bringing together more than 50 delegates representing Full, Associate and Affiliate members of the Organization.
André Vallerand , Special Advisor to Tourisme Montreal, was elected chairman. Vice-chairmen will be representatives of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with the election of a third to be decided at the next Council meeting.
Established at the 16 th General Assembly in Dakar , the Destination Council replaces the “Task Force for Destination Management” which had been operating since 2002 under the chairmanship of Michael Refalo, former Minister of Tourism for Malta .
Its main objectives are to:
i) Identify the needs and address the key challenges involved in successful destination management and marketing,
ii) Formulate recommendations for the UNWTO Programme Committee
iii) Function as an information exchange on good practices, with the aim of encouraging stakeholders, policy makers and Destination Management/ Marketing Organizations to develop a ‘destination vision’ and apply effective management tools
iv) Advocate and raise awareness of the importance of credible, consistent and comparable research (qualitative and quantitative analysis) for measuring the performance of tourism destinations
v) Support and actively participate in UNWTO activities concerning destination management and marketing, including key- result areas such as:
• Sustainable destination development and planning at local level,
• Product development and innovation,
• Quality standards,
• Competitiveness and strategic management and marketing tools (vision, image, positioning, branding)
• Effective destination management structures,
• Measurement of economic impact of tourism at local destination level,
• Monitoring of consumer behaviour, segmentation and psychology,
• Information technology and new media activities in marketing,
• City tourism, and
• Creating additional competitive advantages: such as event management, low-cost airlines and the rejuvenation of mature destinations.
Among the comments raised at the meeting was the need for UNWTO to help developing countries in particular in modelling and structuring Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) with regard to tourism clusters.
Delegates also underlined the importance of issues such as the assessment of quality indicators; the need for reliable and consistent research on the return of investment in promotion and marketing; research on future trends in the marketplace; exchange of practices with other international organizations and exploring the development of complementary activities in destinations affected by natural disasters.
Addressing the opening session, UNWTO Secretary–General Francesco Frangialli explained that the Council would consist of Affiliate Members representing destination management/marketing organizations or institutions at local, regional and national level and existing Associate Members. Full Members will be invited to participate in the work of the Council and benefit directly from the related activities.
In a report on the achievements of the former Task Force, Dr Refalo said it had carried out useful preliminary work that will serve the Council as a launch pad to further develop the concept and workings of customized Destination Management.
The Chairman of Affiliate Members, Carlos Vogeler highlighted UNWTO’s role as a unique platform for networking in public-private partnership and its ability to bring strength to the tourism industry. His fundamental objective is to create synergy and interaction among the three different Councils of the Affiliate Members, he added.
Mr. Vallerand highlighted the importance of the new council and expressed his intention to work in collaboration with the other two - Business and Education -, while German Porras, a member of the UNWTO Strategic Group, gave a presentation on the “Rejuvenation of Tourism Destinations”.
For further information please contact:
Esencan Terzibasoglu, Coordinator for Destination Management, UNTWTO
eterzibasoglu@world-tourism.org
TEL: + 34 91 567 81 60
FAX: + 34 91 567 82 19
March 21st, 2006
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the OpenTravel™ Alliance (OTA) - the business leaders framework for information and communications technologies (ICT) standards in the sector, have joined together to strengthen the common language for electronic travel interactions at the recently concluded ITB travel show in Berlin.
Mr. John Turato, Chairman of the OpenTravel™ Alliance and VP of Cendant Car Rental Group said “OTA’s partnership with the UNWTO will support and extend the global adoption of OTA specifications, facilitating the speed of ICT expansion”. He added the partners would cooperate to develop support material for the standards for a worldwide audience to encourage their spread. “Our membership outside North America is growing, and partnering with UNWTO will allow us to meet the expectations of the worldwide tourism industry.”
UNWTO will provide a global forum for adoption of OTA specifications and the OTA will act as the technical arm of the UNWTO in the area of travel related technology and specifications. Together they will seek to involve an increasing number of stakeholders and to extend the scope of existing XML standards.
The OTA and UNWTO will act as stewards of unified global travel standards/specifications, under WTO’s UN structural umbrella and will strive to create an environment that will be inclusive of other standards bodies and tourism organizations
When signing the Memorandum of Understanding, Mr. Francesco Frangialli, Secretary General of UNWTO said that “Our two organizations share a common view that open global travel standards are beneficial to the world economy, will aid in the reduction of the “digital divide” for the poorest countries and enhance prospects for development of tourism worldwide. We also share a belief that by uniting our efforts we will send a signal of public, private sector collaboration that others will embrace.”
For further information please contact:
Rok Klancnik , UNWTO Press and Communications Department
T: (34) 91-567-8191 / F: (34) 91-567-8218,
comm@world-tourism.org
http://www.world-tourism.org
Note for editors: The OpenTravel™Alliance
The OpenTravel™ Alliance is passionate about solving the problems inherent with connecting multiple systems within the complex travel distribution arena. The OTA’s mission is to engineer specifications that make data transmission flow smoothly throughout travel, tourism and hospitality. The OTA creates, expands and drives adoption of open universal data specifications, including but not limited to the use of XML, for the electronic exchange of business information among all sectors of the travel industry. With a diversified membership representing influential names in all sectors of the travel industry, OTA is comprised of representatives from the airlines, car rental firms, hotels, cruise lines, leisure suppliers, service providers, tour operators, travel agencies, and trade associations. OTA working groups develop open internet-compatible messages, which are currently in use by companies across the travel spectrum. For more information, visit www.opentravel.org.
March 21st, 2006
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