Nusa Dua, Kompas - Pemerintah akan mengupayakan perpanjangan visa kedatangan atau on arrival dari 30 hari menjadi 60-90 hari guna mempercepat pemulihan industri pariwisata di Bali pascateror bom Bali II Oktober 2005. Perpanjangan masa tinggal itu diikuti dengan usaha membidik pangsa wisatawan asal Timur Tengah.
Janji tersebut disampaikan Wakil Presiden M Jusuf Kalla saat tatap muka dengan masyarakat pelaku wisata di Nusa Dua, Bali, Senin (20/3). Awalnya Kalla mengatakan bahwa berdasarkan data yang ia terima, kondisi industri wisata di Bali sudah mulai pulih. ”Dari data yang diberikan kepada saya kunjungan wisatawan mancanegara ke Bali sudah lebih baik. Ada kenaikan sebesar 10 persen dari bulan Januari ke Maret 2006. Bahkan sampai pertengahan Maret 2006 ini rata-rata angka kunjungan wisatawan sudah di atas 2.600 orang per hari. Meskipun dibandingkan September 2005 yang mencapai 5.500 orang per hari, baru sekitar 53 persennya,” ujar Kalla.
Namun, para pelaku pariwisata yang hadir justru mengeluh bahwa kondisi belum pulih. Anggota Bali Tourism Board Bagus Sudibyo mengemukakan dibandingkan periode yang sama tahun lalu, jumlah wisatawan mancanegara yang masuk ke Bali masih minus. ”Dibandingkan Januari 2005 minusnya 24 persen, untuk Februari 21 persen, sedangkan Maret 10 persen,” kata Bagus.
Angka penurunan itu diperkuat dengan tingkat hunian hotel yang minus 10 persen dari biasanya. Padahal, para pelaku wisata mendengar bahwa tahun 2006 pemerintah menyediakan Rp 67 miliar untuk membantu memulihkan wisata di Bali.
Mendengar keluhan itu, Kalla serta-merta menjanjikan untuk mempermudah pengurusan visa kedatangan sekaligus memperpanjang masa berlakunya. ”Percuma juga kalau pengurusan dipermudah kalau masa tinggalnya hanya singkat, sebab lamanya masa tinggal berbanding lurus dengan pengeluaran para turis tersebut. Ya, nanti kita bikin jadi dua atau tiga bulan,” kata Kalla.
Pihaknya segera menyampaikan usulan perpanjangan izin tinggal itu kepada Menteri Hukum dan HAM Hamid Awaluddin. Selain mengusulkan perpanjangan masa tinggal, Kalla juga meminta para pelaku industri wisata di Bali menarik wisatawan dari negara-negara yang masyarakatnya senang berbelanja, seperti negara-negara di Timur Tengah. ”Mereka ini berpotensi menggantikan turis dari Amerika dan Eropa,” kata Kalla.
Mendengar usulan Wapres, para pelaku usaha mengatakan, mereka kesulitan menarik wisatawan dari Eropa dan Timur Tengah sejak tidak ada lagi dukungan penerbangan langsung maskapai nasional Garuda dari Bali ke negara-negara Eropa. Wayan Kurniase, pelaku wisata dari Kabupaten Tabanan, mengatakan, mempertahankan penerbangan langsung ke Eropa sangat penting karena daerah itu adalah pasar tradisional mereka yang tetap harus dipertahankan.
”Sekarang kita terpaksa bergantung pada maskapai tetangga, seperti Singapore Airlines, dan Malaysia Airlines. Mereka justru membuka rute itu.” (DOT/TAT)
Sumber : http://www.kompas.com/kompas-cetak/0603/21/ekonomi/2523411.htm
April 7th, 2006
PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol kembali menambah sarana pariwisata berupa Sinema 4D yang diklaim terbesar di Asia Tenggara dengan ukuran layar film 14 x 24 meter. Melalui fasilitas ini, publik dapat menonton sinema “kejutan” tiga dimensi yang ditambah efek-efek spesial, yang kemudian disebut dengan istilah sinema empat dimensi (4D).
“Ini wujud kepedulian PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol menjawab perubahan dan kebutuhan zaman,” kata Direktur Utama PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol Budi Karya Sumadi, Minggu (2/4), dalam pembukaan tempat wisata baru yang diberi nama “The Lost Kingdom”, dengan salah satu fasilitasnya Sinema 4D.
Efek-efek spesial yang dimaksud adalah pengunjung akan merasakan adanya embusan angin sampai terkena cipratan air saat menonton film yang sedang ditayangkan. Efek lain adalah goyangan kursi duduk, pemandangan kabut, dan aroma yang disesuaikan dengan film.
“The Lost Kingdom” menempati areal 2.299 meter persegi di Gelanggang Samudera. Bangunannya dikemas dalam nuansa Indian, salah satunya menampilkan budaya suku Aztec berupa piramida setinggi 25 meter.
Di dalam piramida dengan 304 tempat duduk buatan Austria itu, para penonton menikmati film empat dimensi. Pada pembukaan kemarin, undangan disuguhi film flora dan fauna produksi Belgia berdurasi 10 menit. (NAW)
Sumber : http://www.kompas.com/kompas-cetak/0604/03/metro/2553794.htm
April 7th, 2006
While Australia’s current test cricketers attempt a clean sweep of South Africa, another team of Greats has embarked on a radically different tour on the other side of the world.
A team of Australian cricket legends will play against the best Bali can offer this week, as they showcase their sport in Bali and show support for the youth affected by the island’s tourist downturn.
Former Australian Test and State cricketers Jo Angel, Ryan Campbell, David Colley, Wayne Holdsworth, Paul Wilson, David Fitzgerald, Brian Taber and Richard Chee Quee are playing a series of limited-overs matches against Balinese players, until April 8.
Between them ‘The Garuda Indonesia Aussie Legends’ have represented Australia in 42 Tests and One Day Internationals, and their States on more than 1,000 occasions.
In Bali yesterday, the tourists were greeted at the airport by representatives of co-sponsors, Garuda Indonesia and Hotel Sanur Beach, and treated to a traditional Balinese welcome dance.
After transferring to a local horse and cart (dokkar) for the latter stage of their trip to the hotel, the players were met by a musical group of 115 traditional “tetakkan” performers who provided a noisy accompaniment from the entrance to the lobby where a carpet of flower petals offered a fragrant welcome to the island paradise.
The ‘Aussie Legends’ will also undertake coaching clinics and workshops, and visit schools to spread the message about cricket. They are taking kits of new and used cricket equipment, clothing and merchandise to donate to the Balinese cricket clubs.
‘The Aussie Legends’ are confident this inaugural tour to Bali will help generate interest in the game in South-East Asia, while supporting Balinese youth at a time of their greatest need following international events which have devastated its tourism industry and its economy.
“The Balinese have been very loyal and supportive of Australian visitors for the past three decades and we want to return the favour,” said tour manager Barry Hyland.
“Whilst the matches will be friendly contests, the 18 or so local cricketers chosen to represent Bali may not be so sure. . . . .
facing a battery of Australian fast bowlers could be dangerous!” said Hyland.
The mammoth pair of Jo Angel and Paul Wilson – both around 200cm tall – will open the bowling, followed by Wayne Holdsworth, who was capable of speeds around 145km. David Colley, who partnered Dennis Lillee in three Test matches, was also fearsomely fast in his day.
“Our batsmen have never faced bowlers of this pace so it is going to be a real test for them,” admitted Alan Wilson from the Bali International Cricket Club. “We do have some pretty handy players who will benefit enormously from the experience, and the tour will be a huge boost to the popularity of cricket in Bali and Indonesia.”
The first series of matches were six-aside, played against three different teams representing Bali. These commenced today following an official welcoming ceremony from 9am at the Udayana Cricket Club, one km from the Burkit Ground at the Udayana University in Jimbaran.
On Wednesday, April 5, ‘The Aussie Legends’ will conduct training sessions at three locations in the three Regencies of South Bali, then visit schools and stage cricket games with the students.
On Thursday, April 6, ‘The Aussie Legends’ will play a 20:20 match at the new Gianyar Cricket Oval. The match will start around 10.30am, with four ‘Aussie Legends’ in each of the teams, playing alongside seven Balinese players.
Cricket in Bali is not as unusual as it sounds. They have five clubs which play in three cricket leagues (Under 15, Under 19 and open), a girl’s competition and an expanding schools program. They have two cricket ovals with turf pitches, tended by grounds staff.
For many years Bali was Australia’s Number One overseas holiday destination, with more than 246,000 visiting the fabled ‘Island of the Gods’ last year. This number has fallen significantly over the past six months, and the Regional Manager of Garuda Indonesia Mr Suranto Yitnopawiro is hoping the cricket tour can be the catalyst of a tourism revival.
“Having such Australian cricket legends experience the hospitality of this island is our way of helping foster cricket in Indonesia, strengthen relations between both countries, and to help show everyone that Bali is as wonderful as ever,” Mr Suranto said.
April 7th, 2006