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Siti Hasanah, Chief Accountant of IGBB. Doing Something for Tourism

As having been aspired and armed with the hobby and passion to get involved in accounting field, Siti Hasanah is now entrusted to fill in the position as Chief Accountant at the Inna Grand Bali Beach (IGBB), Sanur. The position has been filled since August 1, 2012. Even though working in the back office, the woman of Tabanan-born on September 9, 1963 claimed to remain serious and work earnestly.

When working, Siti as she is familiarly addressed, she always balances her daily routine between family affairs and career. “The key is to always think positively, work disciplinarily and provide the best service especially in the Accounting Department so that it can support the other department,” she said.

This calm woman deeply loved the tourism domain. Even, she himself had confidence if the world of services would continue to grow because every human being in life required a balance between work and recreation. “By all means, Bali will become their primary destination,” she said.

Avilla Hospitality and Vision to be a Local Champion in Bali

Every single unique property built must be in accordance with the intended market. On that account, Avilla Hospitality with a vision to become a local champion in Bali has determined the target market. “I learned about differentiation from Hermawan Kartajaya,” said Director of Operations of the Avilla Hospitality, Henry Setiono serving as a key panelist at the Local Champion Panel at Aston Denpasar Hotel on Thursday (May 23). The event of The Indonesia Marketers Festival 2013 entitled ‘On Becoming Local Champion’ presented the moderator Hermawan Kartajaya along with marketing gurus exploring the evaluation and marketing strategy to become the Local Champion Company.

Henry Setiono explained that Avilla set foot in Bali in 2005. So far, there are nine brands managed by the Avilla Hospitality. Collaboration is the key word. “One of our business units is the Bale Udang Mang Engking, a restaurant in collaborate with one of the leading restaurants in Jogjakarta opening a branch in Bali. From the idea, it then came out the Bale Udang Mang Engking that has been enriched with local flavor of Bali,” said the bespectacled man.

Tropical Wine of Bali Coming with Nice and Distinctive Flavor

What do you think when you hear the word wine? Definitely, it will come across to your mind a fresh taste and typical sour aroma of grapes. Such expression was revealed by Vincent Desplat, a wine maker from Sababay Winery when started his presentation in the wine seminar held in the campus of the Bali Tourism Institute (STP) Nusa Dua, recently.

In the event entitled the Wine Event Explore and Taste the World of Wine, Vincent said that wine belonged to a drink having a distinctive flavor. When sitting with relatives, family or the beloved one, a cup of fresh wine on the table could give the feel of togetherness and love. “Wine can also bring people to socialize and get to know one another. A ‘heart’ is an appropriate symbol to describe wine,” he said.
The man who studied agriculture in France revealed that most local people did not have a habit to consume wine in terms of his buyers. Wine in Bali was more widely consumed by people from outside. “Wine in Bali and outside Bali respectively has typical characteristic, depending on the quality of grapes in use,” he added.

Gajah Mada Mask: a Source of Endless Inspirations

There is something unique in Blahbatuh Grand Palace, Gianyar. The palace being famous for becoming the center of cultural conservation is often visited by national and international leaders. The first President of the RI, Soekarno, and the second President Soeharto had made a visit to the palace to perpetuate their tenure. Well ... what to do with them?
The Blahbatuh Grand Palace is not much different from any other palaces in Bali. However, this one has superiority as storing many heritage relics in the form of blowpipe named Ki Tunjung Tutur, Gambuh puppet and Gajah Mada statue, a chief minister from Majapahit Kingdom. “The mask is believed by the public to evoke a spirit and charisma,” said Anak Agung Kakarsana, one of the royal figures.
Arrival of those leaders, he explained, was to invoke the spirit and wisdom of the mind exuded by the sacred mask. Until now, it was believed so that a number of national figures and cabinet ministers of the New Order had dropped in here. The mask was stored in a special chamber and taken out and consecrated on every Tumpek Wayang coming every 210 days. Different from the ritual of Tunjung Tutur, it was consecrated every Tumpek Landep.

I Nyoman Wijana: A Chef Never Gives Up

Persistence and never giving up is the key to success for I Nyoman Wijana as the chef of the Bale Udang Mang Engking. This man from Batuan village, Sukawati, Gianyar, is always making an innovation, so that a variety of menus presented are always interesting, but not to change the taste.

This calm man of two sons is very creative. He is always trying to pack in and create local food to remain in their basic flavor, but can be enjoyed by foreign tourists. The ingredients remain to use seafood becoming the characteristic of the Bale Udang, and of course it has halal standard.
“I will present a menu of betutu chicken, twisted satay, or maybe fish clear soup, so that visitors can feel the uniqueness of Balinese traditional food in the Bale Udang,” said Nyoman Wijana leading the kitchen department consisting of about 30 people while smiling.
Wijana admitted that during his service with the Bale Udang he got a very beautiful impression. “This is the workplace having the most crowded guests. It makes me and the team very busy, as well as getting a challenge. Moreover, I lead numerous men with different background,” he explained.

SIA Increase Bali and Jakarta Frequency

Singapore Airlines (SIA) will significanly booat Indonesia  services deom july, with the introsuction of daily flighta to Surabaya, and an invrease in frequency to the capital Jakarta and the resort island of Bali. DIA Manager Bali Eric Eng said, drom 26 July SIS will take over one of two daily Surabaya flights currently operated by subsidiary SilkAir.
The airline will operate 285 seat Airbus A330s for the daily Surabaya flights, increasing combined SIA and SilkAir capacity on the route by 48 percent. Also on 26 July SIA will introduce a ninth daily sevices to Jakarta, and will simultaneously add its fourth daily service to Denpasar Bali. (BTN/055)

Alfiana Pontoh Feels Comfortable Due to Uniqueness

Alfiana Pontoh is her name. If addressed, she will reply with a smile, and speak in a smooth utterance. Understandably as Corporate Public Relations Manager of the Avilla Hospitality, she should always spread smiles and be friendly. “It does not necessarily mean to smile at everyone, you know. Surely, the smile is for greeting customers as well,” she said with laughter.
The woman graduated from Communication Studies and was born on September 12, 1985 admitted if she indeed got involved in the hospitality field for the first time. Previously, he was active in the field of marketing consultancy that provided a lot of valuable experiences. “Honestly, I feel comfortable working here because each brand owned by Avilla is very unique, so that I feel convenient in marketing them,” he said.

According to the girl having the hobby of traveling, she did not just focus on the offline activities, but also on online ones. On that account, the public relation activities were also performed online through social media. “In the future, most of us will move to digital, so that these activities can help establish the corporate image and awareness of the Avilla and each existing brand,” she explained.

Let’s Save Mangrove Forests!

ISSUANCE of permit on the utilization of mangrove forests in the Ngurah Rai Grand Forest Park, Denpasar, spreading across the area of 102.22 hectares for 55 years for the benefit of nature tourism to PT TRB is regretted by various parties and it reaped rejection. Such condition was also regretted by Project Coordinator of the JICA-MECS Biological Conservation, Asako ‘Amy’ Yamamoto. She said to disagree to the policy of Governor of Bali, Made Mangku Pastika. “Personally, I refuse the leasing of mangrove forest. I am disappointed with that policy. Hopefully, the Governor of Bali could change his mind and cancel the permit,” said Amy making her time to taste Bali coffee in the Bali Coffee Warung 63, Jalan Veteran, Denpasar, recently.
She said all this time the mangrove forest were preserved and saved by many parties, where one of them was the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). To that end, she hoped the rescuing effort to mangrove forests should be resumed and nobody might cut down the mangrove trees. “The government must be careful to issue permits on the utilization of mangrove forests to avoid the damaging activities to the mangrove forests. In contrast, it should be preserved and maintained sustainably,” she said.

Education and Tourism are Closely Related

What is up with education and tourism? Let’s ask Dr. Ni Wayan Kasni, M.Hum, the Head of Linguistics Master Program, Postgraduate Program, Warmadewa University, and Dr. Putu Tirka Widanti, MBA, the Head of Public Administration Master Program, Postgraduate Program, Universitas Ngurah Rai as both of them had tourism background before they became lecturers.

Perhaps, we think that it’s a big question to ask the relation between education and tourism. In fact, it is not. Both tourism and education focus on one important, service. Excellent service whether it is on tourism or education brings a very influential effect. On tourism, excellent service to guests will give excellent effect on tourism industry.

“Because of their satisfied feeling with the service, it makes them come many times to Bali. On education, excellent service to students will make them interested in studying in our university,” said Ni Wayan Kasni. She added that it can be said that service is as a door in inviting customers coming to the institution or company. “This is the idea that we both use as a guide in doing our duties as lecturers.

Gede Nik Sukarta Maintaining Cultural Tourism

Keeping Bali to stay on the tracks of cultural tourism and preserving cultural tourism are difficult task. It is not enough to be kept only by government or tourism businesspeople alone, but it must be shared equally. It was revealed by General Manager of Kayu Raja Villa, Gede Nik Sukarta, recently to Bali Travel News. As one of the Tri Hita Karana (THK) Nugraha 2013 achievers, this villa had been already trying to maintain the relationship to the Creator (parhyangan), to employees and surrounding community (pawongan) and to natural environment (palemahan).

“However, the government as policy holder and regulators surely has a more important role in realizing it, namely maintaining and improving the quality of cultural tourism itself,” said Nik. Currently, he added, Bali tourism was leading to mass tourism, and all people admitted it. “We cannot blame on such field conditions,” he said. Besides, we might not blame how condotel and budget hotels could appear like mushrooms in rainy season. He added that it happened because the market was indeed available.

For this reason, he truly expected the government to hold intensive communication to the public. It should be done to the community of tourism, culture and all the components so that Bali could improve the quality of cultural tourism and preserve the cultural tourism itself. “This issue is very important,” he said. (BTN/pal)