Archive for November, 2007
JAKARTA, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) — The Indonesian government will present medals to foreign tourists who have visited the country at least 20 times, a senior official said Wednesday.
”We hope that by presenting the medals, we will encourage more foreign tourists to come to Indonesia,” Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik was quoted by the national Antara news agency as saying.
The medal presentation program for tourists was currently being processed and expected to be implemented in the very near future, the minister said.
Indonesia is planning to launch the Visit Indonesia Year 2008 and expecting to attract seven million tourists, from the estimated six million international arrivals this year.
Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/
November 22nd, 2007
According to the latest departure figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (5 November 2007) Indonesia is the 6th most popular destination for Australian travellers. In September 2007 approx 26,500 Australians travelled to Indonesia, representing a 42.5% increase from September 2006. Further, looking at purpose of travel, holiday travel (YTD 2007), 145,981 Australians listed holiday as their purpose of travel to Indonesia. This places Indonesia as the 5th most popular holiday destination for Australians.
The Minister of Culture and Tourism Republic of Indonesia, Mr Jero Wacik, is delighted to received the latest departure figures from Australia and is not surprised that Indonesia remains a favouraite destination for Australians. “Indonesia offers everything from a magical beach holiday in Bali, enjoying cultural diversity and heritage wonders including UNESCO World Heritage Sites Borobudur Temple and Prambanan Temple in Java, fantastic shopping at great prices in Jakarta and Bandung, playing great golf with no waiting and value pricing at international class courses through the country, marvelous spas with both traditional and international health and beauty treatments; and overall, a safe, family-oriented environment in an enchanting archipelago of 17,500 islands to explore.”
Mr Wacik further adds “I can personally recommend the great golfing in Indonesia as it is a sport I love, and since I am also President of the Indonesia Golf Association. I hope to see you on the links!”
BALI COMES BACK STRONGLY
According to the Indonesian government arrivals data, tourist arrivals in Bali rose 34% in the first half of 2007 to 781,059, compared to the same time period in 2006.
In the important Australian market for instance with outbound travellers averaging 4 million per annum, Australia has long been one of the most important source markets for Indonesia due to its proximity along with its close trade, investment, political, and cultural relations. Arrival numbers to Bali fell significantly after the 2002 and 2005 bombing, but the good news is this year is that the latest figures from the January – July 2007 period showed a remarkable increase of 38.5% from 102,421 in the same period in 2006 to 141,855 in 2007.
The Ministry feels some of the credit for this increase is due to the effort the Ministry and the private sector have made in communicating to the world through press conferences, travel marts, fam tours, and road shows that the situation for tourism in Indonesia has returned to normal, that all tourism destinations are functioning well.
The Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism is determined to capitalize on the opportunities offered by this welcome increase to tap a much greater share from the Australian market to achieve the planned goal of 500,000 visitors by the end of 2008.
Heightening its international profile, Bali has hosted a number of major international meetings this year, including the ASEAN Tourism Investment Forum and PATA Travel Mart in September.
As well Bali has been honoured by being chosen as the venue for the UN Conference on Climate Change, which is meeting there in December, 2007. This is a major global forum whose mandate is to continue with important negotiations that aim to extend the agreed protocols of the 1997 Kyoto Accord beyond 2012.
Source: http://www.etravelblackboard.com/
November 22nd, 2007
JAKARTA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) — Japan will provide financial assistance on forest rehabilitation and protection in Indonesia, Governor of Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) Koji Tanami said here Tuesday.
After meeting with Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla at his office, the governor told a press conference that the assistance would be channeled through JBIC on the recommendation of the Official Development Assistance (ODA).
Tanami said that Indonesian Vice President welcomed the plan.
”Because the global issue of environment is very important, the JBIC vowed to be ready for helping Indonesia persistently in this field, and Jusuf Kalla was very glad,” he said.
Tanami said that the assistance would be directed to the forest protection and rehabilitation in Indonesia.
”Indonesia needs rehabilitation of its forest and JBIC will help,” he said.
But Tanami declined to elaborate on the amount of the aid, saying that it would depend on how much Indonesia needs.
”Kalla said Indonesia has a large tropical forest and its destruction is persistent. And the Indonesian government would continue rehabilitation,” Tanami said.
Forest fire and illegal logging are to blame for the forest destruction in Indonesia. In 2006, forest fire swept over 35,000 hectares of land across the country, sending smokes to neighboring countries and incurring criticism from ASEAN member countries.
The government plans to plant 100 million threes by 2009 to recover the burned lands.
Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/
November 21st, 2007
Denpasar (ANTARA News) - East Nusa Tenggara emerged as the first winner of the 2nd Indonesian tourism contest 2007 held at the Ksirarnawa Cultural Park in Denpasar, Bali, on Monday.
East Nusa Tenggara was represented by Heidris Donaldo Kiha and Magdalena Louisa Manongga who managed to eliminate 24 other participants in the contest.
General chairman of the foundation of the Indonesian tourism envoy association (ADWINDO) Dr Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna said the activity was a forum to unite all tourism envoys in Indonesia at national events as they had yet to share the same vision.
“We observe that tourism envoys at district, city or provincial levels have different visions and missions on Indonesia`s tourism,” Wedakarna said.
He further said tourism envoys in the country were often not in synergy to promote Indonesia but tended to give priority to exposing their respective areas.
Wedakarna pointed out that the contest was not designed for competition of cultures from their respective regions in Indonesia as there was no superior culture or tradition on earth.
“The event is held more to seek Indonesia`s tourism envoys who are smart and able to give ideas on the national tourism in the future,” he said.
Wedakarna said the 3rd Indonesia tourism contest 2008 was expected to take lace in Bangka Belitung province.
“Next year, Bangka Belitung province will host the Indonesian tourism contest at national level. Thus, we hope the province would make preparations for the upcoming event from now on,” he said.
On the 2007 national tourism contest, East Java and Central Java came up as the second and third winners respectively.
The event also declared representatives from Nangroe Aceh Darussalam as intelligence tourism envoys 2007, representatives from Papua as peace tourism envoys and those from Bangka Belitung as friendship tourism envoys. (*)
Source: ANTARA News
November 20th, 2007
Perdana Arning Saputro, Jakarta
The recent controversy over the Indonesian traditional song Rasa Sayange, which Malaysia claims is its own, is just one of several signs of the poor protection of our traditional heritage.
The protection of Indonesian traditional heritage is dictated by Article 10 of the 2002 Copyright Protection Law. According to the article, the copyright over traditional heritage is held by the Government of Indonesia. The law requires that publication or announcement by foreign parties requires a prior permit from the Government of Indonesia. Unfortunately the government has not yet issued a government regulation as a legal basis for its implementation.
Several basic concerns on the copyright protection of our traditional heritage may arise, such as the work mechanism of the government as the proprietor of copyright over traditional heritage. Another problem is on how to prevent our traditional heritage from being pirated by other parties.
It is also very important to define what would be the basis or criteria in determining which art is part of our traditional heritage. People also want to know about the benefits of art protection for the country.
Another question is the expiration date for the protection of traditional heritage.
In order to provide maximum protection for our traditional heritage (in this case traditional art), we need to know and surely must observe the position of art with the Indonesian people and how our people value our own traditional art.
In Indonesia the position of (traditional) art has a unique value. It contains elements of belief, knowledge, education and norms. The art is part of our life; it can not be separated from other aspects of life, such as the close relationship between the art and religious activities.
As an example let us look at the Rejang Dewa dance, which is performed during sacred ceremonies in Bali, or the Arfak tribe in Papua, which has a communal dance called Ares Komer, where young people use the dance to find their life mates. Java batik is also interesting to note, because it contains rich philosophical values.
As a culture element, art itself is the expression of creativity in a society. The tradition in Indonesia has been handed down from generation to generation. The society that supports its cultural traditions will continue to preserve them and give opportunities to the society to learn the traditions. The traditional community is more concerned with whether the product of art has succeeded in fulfilling or expressing their cultural values, as expected by the society, rather than the acknowledgementa of society and its aesthetic value.
As an example, batik art in Javanese society is an integral and inseparable part of their world. There are at least four fundamental Javanese values expressed in batik art: Patience (sabar), tolerance (tepo seliro), self-reliance (pasrah), and serenity (sumarah). Javanese people believe that by sewing batik, one may find patience and serenity in itself.
In addition to that, batik motif also have symbolic meanings which express the expectations of Javanese society in tackling daily life. The Sido Mukti design symbolizes happiness and prosperity whilst Sido Asih represents the passion of love and care. We mostly find these motifs in a bride and bridegroom’s wardrobe.
Batik art constitutes an inseparable and integral part of Javanese life. The close relationship between a society and its art can also be found elsewhere in other parts of Indonesia. It is fair to conclude that the life traditions of our people depends very much on the existence of (traditional) art and vice versa.
It shows us that the protection of our traditional heritage is actually not merely about the monetary aspect (royalties) but more importantly, how to preserve it.
Just imagine if the Balinese people could not perform the Rejang Dewa dance in their ritual ceremony because the dance was already “owned” by another (foreign) party. A catastrophe in Balinese rituals would soon follow.
Therefore, the approach in setting up the effective legal framework for protecting our traditional heritage shall be taken very seriously and comprehensively; it must take into account, at least, the legal, culture, and social aspects.
Thus, the protection of our traditional heritage is a conditio sine qua non. The following recommendations need to be considered in protecting traditional heritages:
First, the government needs to identify and collect data regarding our traditional heritage from all around Indonesia.
Second, the government needs to map the position of traditional art in the traditional community.
Third, categorize the traditional art, at least, into two categories: the art-ritual ceremony (karya seni ritual), and the art-performing ceremony (karya seni tradisional). The above categorization is derived from the value of the relevant traditional community against its traditional art. To a certain extent, the government may prohibit any performance related to the art-ritual ceremony. This is aimed to preserve and safeguard the traditional arts.
Source: The Jakarta Post
November 19th, 2007
Denpasar (ANTARA News) - The culture and tourism ministry is organizing a national traditional and contemporary dress festival in Kuta, Bali, on Saturday.
The festival was participated in by 14 designers from several provinces in the country, 24 models of bridge and bridegrooms from 23 regions in Indonesia and the association of bridal services, a press statement of the culture and tourism ministry said here on Saturday.
Indonesia planed to promote its traditional dresses internationally and hoped that the country`s traditional dresses could inspire world-class fashion designer companies such as Klein, Gucci, Louis Vitton, Channel, Ferre, and Escada, the statement said.(*)
Source: ANTARA News
November 19th, 2007
Vulcanologists are warning people to stay at least three kilometres away from Indonesia’s Anak Krakatua volcano as it continues to erupt.
The 300 metre volcano, which lies off the northern coast of Java, first came to life two weeks ago.
It is now spewing smoke, ash and red-hot rocks hundreds of metres into the air.
Although impressive, this week’s display is insignificant in comparison to the enormous eruption of Krakatua in 1883 that was heard as far away as Australia.
Over 36,000 people were killed in the 19th Century eruption.
Source:
November 16th, 2007
Dozens of Indonesian airlines today signed an agreement with the government to bring aviation safety in line with international standards, ahead of a review of a European Union ban on the country’s carriers.
The agreement was signed by 45 commercial and charter operators and cargo companies, and will be delivered to the European Commission as part of Indonesia’s case to review the ban imposed in June after a series of deadly air accidents this year.
“This is a part of a serious effort by the operators and regulators to improve our aviation safety and meet international standards,” Transport Minister Djusman Syafii Djamal was quoted as saying by the Jakarta-based Elshinta radio station after the signing ceremony.
Djamal expressed hope that the declaration would convince the EU to lift the ban following a review scheduled for November 19.
The Indonesian airlines agreed to boost supervision of security and safety standards and establish internal auditors to strengthen surveillance, while government regulators would increase their numbers and capability of personnel.
During a visit to Indonesia last week, experts from the EU suggested airlines boost safety and raise the capability and quantity of managers, transport ministry officials have said.
The EU ban targets 51 Indonesian airlines, including Garuda Indonesia, the country’s national flag carrier.
The Jakarta government, feeling slighted, initially threatened to ban European aircraft from flying to the country, but soon agreed that its aviation industry needed reforms.
The ban was imposed after a Garuda jetliner crashed upon landing in the central Java city of Yogyakarta, in March, killing 21 people, including five Australians.
On New Year’s Day, a plane belonging to budget carrier Adam Air plunged into the sea in eastern Indonesia, killing all 102 people aboard.
The US has also sanctioned Indonesian airlines for not meeting international safety standards, especially its growing number of budget carriers, and joined the EU in warning its citizens against travelling on their planes.
Indonesia has since signed an agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organisation to establish an independent regulatory agency and streamline its air traffic control system.
The government also began issuing safety rankings of carriers following the Garuda crash. Garuda made the top level in the latest rankings.
Air travel in Indonesia has blossomed since the sector was deregulated in 1999, but the rapid growth has raised questions over whether safety has been compromised.
Source: http://www.theage.com.au/news/
November 16th, 2007
Wasti Atmodjo, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar
The Bali provincial administration plans to build a special port for cruise ships at Labuan Amuk in Karangasem in a bid to help boost tourism on the resort island, an official says.
Putu Ardana, head of the Bali Transportation Office, said the infrastructure costs for the port project would be covered by funds from the state budget amounting to Rp 130 billion (US$14,400).
The project is expected to be completed in 2009, he said, adding the port would be designed to accommodate large-scale single or double-deck cruise ships measuring 360 meters by 50 meters.
“The completion and operation of the port will constitute the first cruise ship port in Indonesia,” said Karangasem’s transportation office head, Nengah Parwata.
The first stage of the project is currently underway, he said.
Putu said Labuan Amuk was considered to be the best location for the construction of the new port as it was near a deep sea lane.
Ardana compared it with Benoa harbor, another alternative location.
“In Benoa, the water is too shallow and it would be too difficult to dredge. In Labuan Amuk, there is no need to dredge,” he added.
He added the infrastructure currently being built included office buildings, a berth, terminal, health and security posts, immigration office and other supporting facilities.
According to Karangasem Tourism Office data, a number of cruise ships frequently made stops at Padang Bai Port, near Labuan Amuk Port, en route to Lembar Port in Lombok.
One such cruise ship is the Costa Marina, which berthed there on Feb. 4 and 5, 2007, transporting about 772 passengers.
Next month, a cruise ship with as many as 2,000 passengers and another with 684 passengers is expected to berth there, while next year three other cruise ships - the Amsterdam, Black Watch and Silver Whisperalso plan to berth in Bali.
Parwata said cruise ship passengers were usually senior citizens. Using small boats they land at Karangasem for one or two days.
“Some of them visit Karangasem and surrounding areas, including Besakih, Candidasa and others. Several others go to Ubud or Kuta,” he said.
Parwata said in order to support the port project, the Karangasem regency administration had cleared a 1.5-hectare plot of land. The surrounding areas, which consisted mostly of agricultural land, had also been blocked to prevent any alterations, he said.
Compensation was still being negotiated, he added.
The Bali Tourism Alliance has hailed the project.
“We support it because it will diversify our tourist arrivals,” said the alliance’s coordinator Gusti Kade Sutawa. He urged the provincial administration to carefully prepare its spatial planning to avoid unexpected impacts.
Kade Sutawa also proposed the preparation of professional human resources to help introduce Bali to the passengers.
“Local people will be appropriate in these positions as they know a lot about Bali.”
Parwata added the many cruise ships that berth in Padang Bai or Benoa usually did so to refuel or get supplies. With the operation of the new port, the cruise ships would be able to drop off and pick up passengers from Bali. Travel agents would be able to arrange travel arrangements from the port as well, he said.
Up until now, passengers wishing to enjoy the beauty of the eastern parts of Indonesia have been forced to board cruise ships in other countries, like Singapore.
“With the operation of the port, tourists can fly to Bali and enjoy Balinese culture before boarding the cruise ships or vice versa,” Parwata said.
With the completion of the port project, Bali will be able to obtain additional income. The use of transportation services and accommodation will surely increase too, he said.
From Bali the cruise ships could go eastward, for example to Lombok, Fores, Alor, Sulawesi and Papua, Parwata said, adding the port would also benefit these other regions.
Source: The Jakarta Post
November 15th, 2007
NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): Having steered its new Investment Law through parliament, the government’s next step will be to lay out the red carpet for local and international investors by easing the bureaucratic obstacles to doing business in Indonesia.
“We want to convert the red tape into a red carpet,” Muhammad Lutfi, chairman of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), told the Indonesia-Australia Business Conference on Tuesday.
The board is now working to slash the number of days needed to satisfy bureaucratic requirements in areas like starting a business, securing licenses, registering property, paying taxes, trading across borders, exporting, importing and enforcing contracts, Lutfi said.
He recognized that Indonesia was trailing behind its neighbors in attracting foreign direct investment, but said the new Investment Law, enacted in April, along with improvements in BKPM administration, would help redress that.
The former entrepreneur, recruited by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to lead the investment agency, appears to mean business.
“If Indonesia currently ranks 135th in the world in terms of the ease of doing business, we should be in 55th place this time next year,” he said, qualifying his statement, however, by saying that this was provided that other countries did nothing to improve their own investment climates.
That could be a dangerous assumption given the fierce competition among Asian countries to attract foreign direct investment. China has been taking the lion’s share, followed by India, and other Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Source: The Jakarta Post
November 15th, 2007
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