Retail News CRM

Tag: bali

  • Number of Indian tourists to Bali rises by 61.57%

    Number of Indian tourists to Bali rises by 61.57%

    The number of Indian tourists visiting Bali has increased by 61.57 percent — the highest rise among all countries — compared to the same period last year, from 72,969 to 117,897 people.

    “India ranks fifth among the top 10 countries visiting the island, after Australia, China, Japan and the UK,” Adi Nugroho, head of Balis Central Statistics Agency (BPS), said on Wednesday.

    Indian tourists constitute 3.69 percent of the total foreign tourists visiting Bali. About 3.19 million tourists have visited the destination in the first eight months of 2016. This figure is by 22.76 percent higher than the number of visitors seen during the same period last year, which was 2.6 million.

    India tops the list of countries that have seen the highest rise in the number of visitors to Bali, followed by the UK (42.56 percent) and China (35.06 percent), Nugroho said. The number of German tourists has risen by 35.05 percent, French by 31.48 percent, Australian by 18.51 percent and Japanese by 7.98 percent.

    Bali tourism practitioner Made Sudana said Bali is seeing an increasing number of Indian tourists because of the similarity between both places in terms of art, culture and Hinduism. Improved cooperation between India and Indonesia has also had a positive effect. Bali has actively pursued this as it expects more and more Indian tourists to visit the island.

    Earlier, Indonesian Ambassador to India, Rizali W Indrakesuma, said the Indonesian government is seeking direct flights to India and vice-versa. Direct flights are important as they will help increase the number of Indian tourists as well as facilitate business and investment opportunities between both countries.

    Lees ook:

  • Bali Airport Sees Passengers Traffic Increase

    Bali Airport Sees Passengers Traffic Increase

    Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport recorded an increase in the number of passengers coming and going through the airport. In September, the airport has seen 14.8 million passengers flying from and to the airport, an increase of 16 percent from the same month last year.

    The airport’s General Manager Yanus Suprayogi said on Thursday that both domestic and international passengers’ traffics are relatively the same with 7.4 million passengers each.

    “In the last four years, the traffic growth in 2016 is the highest. In addition to the number of passengers, we also see an increase in the number of inbound or outbound cargos, as well as aircraft movement,” he said in a press release, October 6.

    Meanwhile, the airport’s cargo volume reached more than 30,000 tons, or up by 39 percent compared to September 2015’s volume. The number of aircraft movements also increased by 10 percent on a year-on-year basis.

    “We are optimistic that the number of passengers, aircraft, and cargo will continue to increase until the end of this year,” Yanus said.

    Meanwhile, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Bali recorded 438,135 foreign tourists’ visits to Bali in August 2016, of which 437,929 came in through the airport.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Arrivals of European tourists in Bali up 59.4%

    Arrivals of European tourists in Bali up 59.4%

    The number of European tourists arriving in Bali in this summer season increased 59.4 percent from 76,822 in June to 122,455 in July 2016.

    “The increase of European tourist arrivals is the fruit of the efforts made by the government and tourism industries in promoting Indonesia, especially Bali, in Europe and Asia,” tourism observer Dewa Nyoman Putra said here on Tuesday.

    Besides the impact of the intensive promotions and expanded security, the increase in European tourist arrivals is also triggered by the visa-free facility the Indonesian government provides for a number of countries.

    The tourism service of Bali recorded the average European tourist arrivals in Bali at some 76,000 per month.

    However, it rose to 122,455 in July, so that in the January-July 2016 period, the number of foreign tourist arrivals from Europe reached 583,463.

    Thus, European tourist arrivals in Bali account for 21.17 percent of the total foreign tourists arriving in Bali in the same period, in which 2.7 million foreign tourists visited Bali.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • DHL and UN Development Programme Hold Airport Disaster Workshops

    DHL and UN Development Programme Hold Airport Disaster Workshops

    Germany’s Deutsche Post DHL Group and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are once again conducting their joint preventative training, known as Get Airports Ready for Disaster (GARD), from September 5 to 9 at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport, Lombok International Airport and Selaparang Airport in Lombok. Indonesia was the pilot country when the program was implemented globally in 2009 – in Makassar and Palu.

    Indonesia is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire where several continental plates collide. As a result, the chain of islands is at frequent risk of earthquakes, tsunamis and active volcanoes. Additionally, Bali and Lombok are categorized as high risk areas in the Indonesian Disaster Risk Index (2013). Airports in both provinces experienced operations shutdown due to volcanic eruptions from nearby Mount Rinjani.

    The multi-day workshop involves over 50 participants – including representatives from the airport operating company, aviation safety experts, national and regional Disaster Management Planning Agencies, Indonesian Red Cross, immigration authorities, the military and the police force – who will be trained to handle the high volume of incoming relief goods and increasing number of passengers during the aftermath of natural disasters.

    “Following natural disasters, airports become vital hubs for the processing of incoming relief supplies,” says Christof Ehrhart, Head of Corporate Communications and Responsibility at Deutsche Post DHL Group. “With sound processes in place at the airport and with the relevant agencies, relief goods and aid can be channeled through airports to reach the affected communities quickly and efficiently. This program continues to help improve disaster management in this geologically high-risk region.”

    “Often airports are unprepared to manage large disasters or humanitarian crisis and as a result, assistance gets slower in getting to those most affected. GARD is working specifically with all partners on the ground to solve any potential bottlenecks that could impede fast response to save lives. I praise the Indonesian government for its commitment to preparedness and the airport authorities for their risk informed management.” says United Nations Resident Coordinator in Indonesia, Douglas Broderick.

    The training includes evaluation of the airports’ capacities for processing high volumes of passengers and cargo and warehousing relief supplies. Location-specific disaster plans are drawn up as well.

    Since 2009, GARD trainings have been held in eight airports in Indonesia, namely Sultan Hassanuddin Airport in Makassar (2009), Mutiara Airport in Palu (2009), Ngurah Rai Airport (old airport) in Denpasar (2011), El Tari Airport in Kupang (2011), Polonia Airport in Medan (2012), Sultan Iskandarsyah Airport in Banda Aceh (2012), Fatmawati Airport in Bengkulu (2012) and Minangkabau Airport in Padang (2013).

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Millennials to Decide Future of TV in Indonesia

    Millennials to Decide Future of TV in Indonesia

    As of 2016, according to the Central Statistics Agency’s estimations, Indonesian millennials — born between the 1980s and early 2000s — make up about 41 percent of the 258.8 million population.

    “The future will be in OTT and many want to capture this market. The number of millennials is going to be big in Indonesia and infrastructure is now being prepared. The government has rolled out 4G and smartphone prices are getting lower each year,” Greeny said.

    Genflix offers its customers thousands of videos, Japanese cartoons and other exclusive content. Genflix currently has three million subscribers, 60 percent of whom are paying customers. Most of them access the service via their smartphones.

    The catch

    Hendy Lim from the Redemption Entertainment said this is the moment for the local talents and content creators as the content-hungry OTT services will keep on coming to tap into the growing Indonesian middle-class. But there is a catch.

    Hendy, who has just left his position as the vice president of the media company MNC Group, said the OTT services need to compete with the deep-pocketed free-to-air televisions.

    “These free-to-airs can pay up to $30,000 per episode. I can’t tell the exact number, but I think [the OTT] can pay only 5 percent of it,” he said, adding that free-to-air revenues are high because many people still watch television.

    The on-demand services will also have to face uncertain regulations with regard to corporate establishment, taxes and censorship.

    Communications and Information Technology Minister Rudiantara promised that this year the government will produce a regulation governing the OTT services. The regulation will take into account the international tax treaty and censorship measures similar to those applied for televisions.

    Desmond Poon, chief technology officer of the listed internet service provider Link Net, said during the summit that censorship as such is against the idea of the internet.

    Despite the challenges posed by censorship and the not yet fully available broadband connectivity, especially in the easternmost part of the country, Poon remains optimistic the OTT business will continue to grow.

    Lees ook:

  • July Sees Record-high Tourist Arrivals to Indonesia

    July Sees Record-high Tourist Arrivals to Indonesia

    The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded 1.03 million foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia in July 2016. The number represents a 17.67-percent year-on-year increase from July 2015.

    Compared to June 2016, the increase is 20.42 percent.

    “This is a new record, with the number foreigners entering Indonesia reaching more than a million in one month,” BPS deputy for Statistic and Distribution Sasmito Hadi Wibowo said in Jakarta Thursday, September 1.

    The achievement, he said, is largely thanks to the Tourism Ministry’s intensive campaigns in many parts of the world and the many promotional events held in domestic travel destinations.

    Sasmito said the biggest number of tourists came from China, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.

  • Tourism provides largest number of jobs

    Tourism provides largest number of jobs

    President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said that the tourism industry is the number one provider of jobs.

    “Tourism has employed the largest number of manpower, but indeed it needs a change of the communitys culture,” President Jokowi said before prominent community figures living in Lake Toba area, here, Saturday evening.

    A change is needed because basically the community should be able to serve tourists coming to their region.

    “I hope prominent community, religious, and custom figures could give guidance to the community,” the Head of State said.

    Lake Toba which has been known internationally, has huge tourism potential.

    “However, over the past several years, its image and branding as a tourist area has dropped. Therefore, we work on Lake Toba first, among 10 destinations designated by a presidential decree,” he said.

    Lake Toba area is being promoted as an eco-tourism destination and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourism to be developed on 600 ha plot of land in the authority zone.

    The local culture and traditions will be strengthened and promoted as tourist attractions.

    To support the development of Lake Toba as a main tourist destination, the capacity of Silangit Airport will be expanded.

    “I have ordered the transportation minister and Angkasa Pura (state airport operator) to widen and lengthen the runway. I have asked for demolition of its terminal within a week, and the new one should be ready in the end of this year,” he said.

    The president also asked Garuda Indonesia to fly to Silangit Airport thrice a week, whether it is empty or full.

    “We will be grateful if it is full of passengers, so the flights could be served daily, not only by Garuda but also others such as Sriwijaya and Wing Air,” he noted.

    Initially, Silangit Airports capacity would be expanded to 150 thousand passengers, but now it would be increased further to 180 thousand passengers per year.

    The government will also create a world-class flower park to support the Lake Toba tourism.

    Jokowi also urged villagers living around Lake Toba area to plant trees for the preservation of the environment.

    “I just planted trees. The target is 300 thousand trees per district, or one million per year for all districts. We dont want the water of Lake Toba to decrease due to environmental degradation,” he said.

    Lees ook:

  • Bali`s exports of furniture up 41%

    Bali`s exports of furniture up 41%

    Balis exports of furniture rose 41 percent in value to US$4.88 million in June from US$3.47 million in May.

    Year-on-year, the furniture export earning also rose sharply in June up 36.17 percent from US$3.59 million,” the Bali office of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said.

    Head of the BPS office Adi Nugroho said furniture contributed 10.18 percent to the total export earning of US$48 million recorded by Bali in June.

    “Bali export earning rose 15.34 percent from US$41.66 million in the previous month,” Adi said here.

    The furniture including chairs, beds, cupboards, tables, and room partitions are generally made up of bamboo with rattan decorations, he said.

    The sets of furniture were exported to the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands , Japan and Australia.

    Statues made of bamboo roots from the regencies of Bangli and Gianyar are also gaining market abroad, Adi said.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Number of Indian tourists to Bali up 55.83 percent

    Number of Indian tourists to Bali up 55.83 percent

    The number of Indian tourists to Bali reached 92,731 people, during the first semester of 2016, up 55.83 percent from 59,509 people during last years same period.

    Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) showed that the tourist arrivals from India recorded the highest increase among ten countries contributing the largest number of tourists to Bali.

    The Indian tourist arrivals constituted 4.08 percent of the total foreign tourist arrivals reaching 2.27 million in Bali during the first semester, up 18.59 percent from 1.91 million in the same period in the previous year.

    The Bali Provincial Tourism Office has set a target of attracting as many as 4.2 million foreign tourists this year.

    In 2015, Bali received 4.001 million people, 6.24 percent more than previous year when 3.76 million people had arrived.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Indonesia the most favorite destination for Australian tourists

    Indonesia the most favorite destination for Australian tourists

    Indonesia has so far proven to be the most favorite destination for Australian tourists, overtaking New Zealand, Indonesian Ambassador to Australia Nadjib Riphat Kesoema said.

    “The variety of natural wealth and beauty, culture and world-class tourist facilities that the Indonesian government offers to tourists have become special attractions for Australian tourists,” he stated in a press statement released on Saturday.

    His remarks came when the Indonesian Tourism Ministry and the Indonesian Embassy in Australia were conducting a promotional activity at Hotel Hyatt in Canberra recently.

    Besides helping promote mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries, the tourism sector can also create jobs in Indonesia, he added.

    He underlined that he supported the program to conduct tourism promotion in several Australian cities such as Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

    The program will serve as a venue for a meeting between Australian travel agents and their Indonesian counterparts directly, he said.

    The ambassador has called on Australian tourism companies to encourage Australian citizens to visit other Indonesian tourist destinations than Bali.

    Data from the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra showed that almost 85 percent of 1.2 million Australian tourists visited Bali in 2015.

    Nadjib offered potential visitors from Australia other tourist destinations such Toraja, Lake Toba, Raja Ampat, Labuhan Bajo, Tanjung Kalayang, Seribu Islands, Borobudur Temple, Mount Bromo, Wakatobi and Morotai Island.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Indonesia plans emergency law to let foreigners buy apartments

    Indonesia plans emergency law to let foreigners buy apartments

    Property sector needs reform to attract investments, says minister. Indonesia plans to issue an emergency law – known as a perppu – to break an impasse of more than a decade in efforts to streamline unfriendly laws as the country aims to allow foreigners to purchase apartments in Indonesia.

    The government had in the past repeatedly tried to move forward and set regulations to allow foreigners to own apartments in South-east Asia’s biggest economy.

    But they were never able to get these implemented because the basic stipulation under Indonesia’s 1960 Agrarian Law is that foreigners just cannot own homes in the country, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan said.

    “But the era has changed now. The property sector needs a reform so we could attract foreign investment. Foreigners should be allowed to buy apartments – but not landed houses – even if they don’t hold Kitas (Indonesia’s residence permit),” Luhut told The Straits Times.

    “It is similar to that in Singapore,” he added.

    Indonesia’s Constitution gives the President the right to issue a rule in lieu of law (perppu) when he determines that an emergency in the country requires it.

    A perppu is immediately effective after the President signs it, and Parliament can either let it remain effective or end it within a year after the perppu is issued.

    Luhut said the perppu that covers a new rule allowing foreign investors to buy apartments is one of between four and five perppu that Indonesia plans to issue by August, to resolve other obstacles hindering the government reform programme.

    “This is a revolutionary step to address such problems,” he said.

    A so-called debottlenecking working committee has been set up to identify problematic and protracted clauses in all laws.

    “We will comb all legislations that overlap with each other,” Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, who heads the working committee, told The Straits Times.

    The perppu will supersede only the problematic clauses in each law and serve to bypass them, Luhut said.

    He added that one perppu could address problems in five to more than 10 existing laws, and about 80 per cent to 90 per cent of the existing laws can be harmonised.

    Issuing perppu is a normal practice that some foreign governments, such as the United States, also use, Luhut said, adding that the term used in the US is “presidential Act”.

    In May, President Joko Widodo signed a perppu that allows courts to increase penalties for sex crimes, which include for the first time chemical castration and death sentence, after the media highlighted a growing number of attacks against children.

    Previously, the maximum sentence for a child sex offence was 15 years’ jail. Indonesians have mostly welcomed the move.

    Amending existing laws through the normal process, by proposing Bills to Indonesian Parliament, can drag on for several years, and in some cases, proposed Bills were thrown out.

    Numerous government reform programs in Indonesia in the past decades have hit a snag due to conflicting laws that need amendment.

  • Indonesia is favorite tourist destination for Australians

    Indonesia is favorite tourist destination for Australians

    Data obtained from the Australia Bureau of Statistics revealed that 105,500 Australians visit Indonesia every month, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya noted in a press statement received by us here on Monday.

    The minister said the figure showed that Indonesia was a favorite tourist destination for Australians.

    “The data, which was released a month ago, for the first time revealed that Indonesia was the most preferred tourist destination among Australians,” Arief noted.

    According to the bureau, earlier, most Australians visited New Zealand, with an average of 99,400 tourists per month.

    “This is certainly due to the visa-free policy extended to Australians visiting Indonesia,” the minister remarked, adding that the ministry along with the Foreign Ministry and the Indonesian Consulate General across Australia had promoted the policy in the country.

    The Indonesian tourism branding called Wonderful Indonesia has been promoted in several regions in Australia through various mass media, including social media.

    “Our international openness is assessed by the World Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index as one of the measurable values,” Arief stated.

    The minister believes that the statistical figures were accurate and can be used in tourism development programs.

    The minister said the 10 priority tourist destinations, especially the maritime tourist sites, have been drawing Australian visitors.

    Of the 10 tourist destinations, seven are maritime tourist sites: Tanjung Kelayang in Bangka Belitung, Tanjung Lesung in Banten, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara, Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi, Seribu Islands in Jakarta, and Morotai in North Maluku.

    The maritime tourist sites are divided into three main zones: coastal, underwater, and sea. The third one is an inter-island tourist zone that can be explored by yacht.

    “Most of the Australian tourists prefer tourist sites in the coastal zone, with waves ideal for surfing. We have several new surfing spots in Banyuwangi, Mentawai, and Nias,” Arief added.

    Lees ook:

  • First Hilton Branded Hotel in Bali, Indonesia

    First Hilton Branded Hotel in Bali, Indonesia

    Hilton Worldwide today announced the signing of a management agreement with P.T. Caterison Sukses to manage and re-brand the Grand Nikko Bali as Hilton Bali. The 408-room resort, located on Jalan Raya Nusa Dua Selatan, is planned to open on December 1, 2016.

    “We are deeply committed to expanding our presence in Indonesia, both by introducing more brands from our portfolio of 13 brands as well as entering into new locations where we may not currently be operating. Today’s announcement underscores both the Hilton brand’s strength in this market as well as our management capability to drive exceptional experiences for both guests and owners,” said Guy Phillips, senior vice president, Development, Asia and Australasia, Hilton Worldwide. “In partnership with P.T. Caterison Sukses, the Hilton Bali will be a strong addition to our portfolio.”

    Hilton Bali is ideally located on Bali’s picturesque southern coast of Nusa Dua, which is famed for its beaches. The resort is approximately 16 kilometers from Ngurah Rai International Airport and the district of Kuta. Hilton Bali is also close to many watersports facilities and adventure sports service providers that offer various fun-filled options including jet packs, jet skis, para-gliding and dive trips.

    “As our flagship brand, Hilton Hotels & Resorts resonates strongly with both leisure and business travelers alike. Hilton Bali will open as a stylish resort offering world-class hospitality synonymous with the Hilton brand and we are delighted to see this beautiful resort join our outstanding global portfolio of more than 570 hotels and resorts,” said Sean Wooden, vice president, Brand Management, Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide.

    Situated on the waterfront with its own stretch of secluded beach and offering stunning views of the Indian Ocean from its clifftop location, Hilton Bali will offer 389 rooms and 19 one-, two- and three-bedroom villas with beachfront, ocean or garden views. The hotel will have five food and beverage outlets including an all-day dining restaurant, specialty restaurants and a bar. Extensive meetings and banqueting facilities spanning 3,737 square meters will include several meeting rooms, two conference centers with two ballrooms that can accommodate 1,500 people, as well as beachfront, cliff-top and poolside venues that are perfect for outdoor weddings. The hotel features four inter-connected swimming pools, a children’s lagoon, three tennis courts, and a fitness center. Guests will also have access to a kids’ club and an observation tower that offers panoramic views of the Indian Ocean.

    “We are pleased to partner with a global hospitality leader that has a legacy of success and a strong luxury brand that is recognized across the globe. We are confident that Hilton Bali will be a magnet for business and leisure and international and domestic travelers, as well as corporate meetings and wedding planners,” said Charles Djunaidi, Director, P.T. Caterison Sukses.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Garuda Indonesia Increases Flight Frequency in Banyuwangi

    Garuda Indonesia Increases Flight Frequency in Banyuwangi

    Garuda Indonesia airlines will increase the flight frequency at Blimbingsari Airport, Banyuwangi to twice a day from May 16, 2016. The decision was made after the issuance of the permit to increase Garuda Indonesia flight services of Surabaya-Banyuwangi route and vice versa by Directorate General for Air Transport of the Transportation Ministry.

    At present, Garuda Indonesia flight schedule only serve one daily flight at Blimbingsari Airport namely Surabaya-Banyuwangi route at 11:35 a.m. – 12:35 p.m. and Banyuwangi-Surabaya at 1:05 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. After the issuance of the permit from Transport Ministry, Garuda will have an additional schedule of morning flight, namely Surabaya-Banyuwangi route at 6 a.m – 7 a.m. and Banyuwangi-Surabaya at 7:30 a.m. – 8:25 a.m.

    “We gladly welcome the additional flight schedule of Garuda morning [flight], making it two flights a day. It’s a solution to the high volume of airline passengers that often leads to complaints about the lack of seats, either to Banyuwangi or vice versa. I hope it could trigger a surge in tourist arrival,” said Banyuwangi Regent Abdullah Azwar Anas on Wednesday, May 4, 2016.

    In addition to new schedule of Surabaya-Banyuwangi route, Garuda Indonesia also plans to re-open Denpasar-Banyuwangi service. “I heard that the planned Denpasar-Banyuwangi service is ready, but we are still waiting for further confirmation about it,” Anas said.

    The number of passengers at Blimbingsari Airport continues to grow after it started operation. It has significantly increased up to 1,308 percent from only 7,826 passengers in 2011 to 110,234 passengers in 2015.

    Banyuwangi district administration has also arranged evening flights. It has prepared several infrastructures to achieve the target to start operation in 2016. “We hope that evening flights would offer a wider choice of flight schedules to Banyuwangi,” Anas said.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Tourists claim tour rates in Raja Ampat expensive

    Tourists claim tour rates in Raja Ampat expensive

    Some tourists have assessed that the tour rates offered in Raja Ampat, West Papua, were expensive, and it was feared to affect other travelers keen on visiting this tourist area.

    “Raja Ampat is much more beautiful than Bali, but the tour rates are also more expensive as compared to Bali,” Sami Ninggoroh, a tourist of Indian descent who visited Raja Ampat along with some Japanese tourists, stated on Tuesday.

    According to Ninggoroh, the rates of the Raja Ampat tour should be reconsidered as it is quite high, and the high prices will have a major impact on the number of visitors to the area.

    “We have ever been to Bali and found that the services offered there were better, and the travel rates were cheaper as compared to Raja Ampat,” he pointed out.

    Further, Ninggoroh opined that tourists visiting Bali will certainly want to revisit it, but ironically, visitors to Raja Ampat will think twice to return as it is quite expensive.

    He noted that besides being costly, there were other issues in Raja Ampat that should be addressed, especially with regard to the services, so every visitor will feel comfortable and will crave to come back.

    “The services offered by the people of Bali to the tourists are very good as they highly value the tourism sector. They serve the tourists as best as possible, and the same thing should also be applied in Raja Ampat,” he emphasized.

    Ninggoroh stated that Raja Ampat, as a marine tourism attraction, was already popular across the world, but the offered tourism packages should be made cheaper, so that tourists would yearn to revisit the region.

    “The local governments must lower the tour rates and improve the tourism supporting facilities, so Raja Ampat is thronged by as many visitors as Bali,” he added.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: