DENPASAR (JP): Despite the social and political upheavals plaguing many parts of the country, the holiday island of Bali's tourist industry is still going strong.

Renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, white sands and myriad cultural and traditional attractions, Bali has become one of the world's most popular destinations.

In the last few years, foreign and domestic tourists have combined leisure and business while on the island, increasing the demand for quality resorts.

Bali fortunately has an ample choice of international-standard resorts, which offer multifarious services compounding business and pleasure activities for their opulent clientele.

Visitors can choose resort facilities which suit their personal needs.

Bali's first resort areas Kuta and Legian, which are 12 kilometers southwest of Denpasar, have a number of good hotels and resorts ready to serve holidaymakers as well as businessmen.

Although the areas have become too commercialized and crowded, there are still some places to hide out. Among the best resorts here are the Oberoi (covers 15 acres of land) which offers tranquility and privacy, Kul Kul Beach resort and Bali Dynasty.

Sanur, Bali's second resort area boasts numerous restaurants, shops and hotels such as Hotel Sanur Beach, Bali Hyatt and Tandjung Sari. The wide beach, framed by shallow coral reefs and white sands, is a perfect site for snorkeling, boating and wind surfing.

To the south, Nusa Dua is Bali's first integrated and well-planned resort area, which consist of two tiny islands linked to the mainland by a reinforced sand spit. There are several good resorts in the area including Amanusa, Sheraton Laguna (next to Sheraton Nusa Indah Convention Center), Bali Hilton International and the Grand Hyatt.

Ubud, which was renowned as an art colony in the l930s and has since grown into the island's main cultural center, is an excellent base from which to explore Bali's interior.

There are many excellent resorts in this art village such as Amandari, a modern resort which blends traditional and modern architectural elements. Other resorts include Four Season Resort at Sayan (near Ayung River), Ibah Luxury Villas, Pita Maha and Kokokan Hotel.

Once an almost barren fishing village, Jimbaran Bay, 20 km southwest of Denpasar, has been transformed into an elegant resort area with diamond-star facilities like Ritz Carlton, Bali Cliff Resort, Four Seasons Resorts and Hotel Inter-Continental Bali.

Bali has also expanded its resort areas as far as Canggu (Hotel Tugu), Tabanan (Le Meridien and Bali Nirwana Resort) and Candi Dasa area in Klungkung, East Bali, as well as Lovina in Buleleng regency and Menjangan Jungle and Beach resort in West Bali.

Potential clients

With such a large number of beautiful and world-class resort facilities, people may wonder whether the island's tourist industry has been affected by Indonesia's burgeoning economic problems.

I Gde Wiratha, chairman of the Bali branch of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) said Bali's tourist industry was beginning to recover after the l998 riot, but the unstable political and social conditions might still haunt the industry.

""The present situation has certainly influenced the growth of tourist-related businesses on the island and we are uncertain of what is going to happen in the coming months,"" Wiratha explained.

There has been visit cancellations as travel advisories issued by several foreign countries discouraged their citizens from traveling to Indonesia, including Bali.

But Minister of Culture and Tourism I Gde Ardhika is convinced that Bali is still the favorite destination of local and foreign tourists.

Bali has become the ""in"" destination among single Japanese females in their 20s and 30s who enjoy relaxing at expensive hotels on the tropical island.

According to the Japan Tourist Bureau (JTB), Indonesia, Bali in particular, will see an influx of 15,000 Japanese tourists during the holiday seasons, a 166.7 percent increase from the year before.

The latest data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism revealed that the number of tourist arrivals in January this year was 330,094, a 12.3 percent increase from the same period in l999.

In 2000, the country received 5.06 million foreign visitors, slightly less than its target of 5.1 million visitors.

In January, the number of tourist arrivals at Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali increased by 14.94 percent compared to the same period in 2000.

The increase in the number of tourist arrivals may boost the island's economy.

A recent survey conducted by local tourism authorities showed that a foreign tourist visiting Bali spent an average of US$77.35 per day and stayed 11 days on average last year.

The survey conducted on 3,884 tourists also showed that foreign tourists in Bali spend $3.3 million in total, adding that Japanese tourists spent the most ($589,400), followed by British tourists ($322,200) and Australians ($238,300).

Mark Griffith, general manager of Le Meridien Hotel at Bali Nirwana Resort in Tabanan, confirmed that the resort business was still flourishing.

He said Bali still had a good reputation among foreigners.

""It's lucky that many tourists rarely associate Bali with Indonesia,"" the general manager said.

Currently, Australia, Japan and Europe remain strong markets for the Bali tourist industry.

Griffith added that the current multidimensional crisis had influenced tourist-related industries. ""But, we should not just sit and do nothing,"" he said.

To promote his hotel and Bali in general, Griffith said the management had optimized its strong international chains in various tourist markets worldwide.

""Bali has so many good features as a tourist destination, such as good hotels and resorts in addition to its rich culture and tradition,"" he said.

He said his company was now penetrating new markets including Russia, France, Middle East and China.

Presently, the hotel's clients come from Europe (35 percent), Indonesia (17 percent), the United States (8 percent) and Japan (8 percent).

""Many of our guests come from Tokyo, London or New York. For them, Bali's resorts are amazingly peaceful and beautiful,"" he said.

A number of hotel and resort operators shared his optimism.

An official of Sheraton Laguna in Nusa Dua said recently that in December 2000, the occupancy rate of the hotel reached about 84 percent.

Bali governor Dewa Beratha admitted that although hotel and tourist industries were still strong, new investments in the industries were substantially decreasing.

Last year, authorities in Bali approved foreign investment plans worth $141.5 million, compared to $426 million a year earlier.

Foreign investors in Bali were engaged in tourism consulting services and operation of water recreation facilities with an investment of $119.5 million. The hotel industry came in second with a total investment of $13.9 million, followed by the trade sector with $3.6 million.

Foreign investments in the hotel industry plunged to $112 million in l999 and to $13.9 million in 2000 compared to $255.5 million in l998.

He said the province would need Rp 2.4 trillion in investment to achieve a 3.8 percent growth.

Bali is too crowded now and no longer needs new hotels or resorts. The island already has a lot of resorts where visitors can enjoy the beauty of Bali while doing business. (raw)

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

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