Global economic crisis may have held back massive investment plan to build Lombok into a world class holiday destination on its own and cut away any dependencies to its more popular sister island of Bali. But its charm remains an attractive magnet to holiday makers seeking for sea, sand, and sun and get a bit bored with what Bali has to offer.
In our last business trip to Lombok a few days back we found that flights between Bali and Lombok are almost full. The small airport of Mataram is quite busy. During the night we spent in Senggigi, the most popular beach resort town in Lombok, we saw a lot of tourists around. We even rejected by a restaurant because whilst there was still a few tables empty, they thought they would not be able to serve as in reasonable speed.
Our trip to the Gilis strengthen our impression. The public boat taking people for a short 30 minutes trip to the islands were easily filled up. When we got to the island we saw it rather busy with a lot of tourists - mostly white - scattering around. Hotel operators and restaurant owners told us that their days are normally even busier.
As we inspected a number of Lombok villas, the main purpose of our trip, we also seeing the same pictures. We even have to reschedule our inspection until guests went away to the beach or something, just because they are fully occupied. Similar situation also applies in domestic market. We went to downtown Mataram and found out that traditional restaurants, motels, malls, even street side stalls were busy.
With all those frames portrayed the current situation, when the investment postponed, I can imagine how Lombok will grow when the investment plan resumed. I am not an economist myself, but everybody knows that the global economic crisis has gone away, and massive investments will flood in in just a matter of days. Will Bali loose or benefit from this? (Bali Care)
Stay In A Private Villa
For people who enjoy privacy and comfort during their vacations, renting an apartment or a home or villa is a great idea. Unlike a hotel, the space will be completely yours and you will have every room you have at home, like a kitchen. You will not have to worry about noise and being disturbed.
Spending a holiday in a villa is very popular. If you look hard enough, you can even find some that are more affordable than hotels with extra amenities. Many, if not all, villas will have a swimming pool and hot tub. They also have massage therapists and spa treatments available on site. Certain places will also provide you with your own butler, so you will never have to lift a finger.
After a long year of working, there is nothing better than going on a vacation. The most popular spots to visit are places where there the landscapes are beautiful and the weather is warm. That is why so many people love going on holidays to Bali. If you are going to Bali soon, you should consider bali private villas.
The island of Bali is located slightly below the equator and is an Indonesian island. This island has a very diverse culture that includes a mix of Chinese and Indian cultures. Denpasar is the capital city of this island.
The flowers, plants, and wildlife of Bali are incredibly beautiful and diverse. The island is home to many birds that cannot be spotted elsewhere and the surrounding water is full of coral reefs. However, the island does currently house an active volcano.
Staying in a bali private villa may be able to make your Bali vacation even better. Most private villas are centralized in Seminyak area, then spread wide to Umalas, Canggu to Tanah Lot; then some in Ubud, Sanur East Coast, and Jimbaran - Uluwatu South Tip of Bali Island. Try to find a place that has all of the amenities and activities you wish to partake in, while also suiting your budget. (dwibali).
Is Global Financial Crisis Real?
Economists will definitely confirm that it is real. There are a lot of evidences to look around, from the downfall of financial and automotive giants in the US to the urge of Indonesian government to flow fiscal stimulus. Fortunately in Bali where I life and make a living, I do not see it impacts both in my daily life as well as in the business I am in.
I may be wrong. This is a rough conclusion from what I have seen through my own eyes. And my eyes could be wrong. I fact I am very dependant to a cylindrical glass. Well, I do not want to mislead people. Quite contrary, I want to encourage people to look into things from the positive sides, at at least if it is at all negative, to find a way to turn it around.
I guess my lifestyle helps has saved me from the impact of global financial crisis. With almost everything I consume, from meals to clothing and even vehicle, is locally produced, I can afford anything I need the same way as two years ago. Few things like gadgets and computers did not bite quite an attention as I do not buying these stuffs everyday.
Running a holiday rental business I found that closing to peak holiday season coming between July and September, my salespersons are crying for supplies. Inquiries are flowing in whilst supplies are no longer exist. All villas in Bali are booked out during the period. Supply for Christmas - New Year period which is still a half year ahead starts to run out as well.
It is definitely not a picture of myself alone, I believe. My fellows in the same business confirmed similar situation. Bali tours are foreseeing similar picture. I believe the whole tourism industry in Bali is not really affected by global economic crisis. Officials announced that number of tourist visits recorded a slight increase in the first four months of 2009 compared to the same period of previous year.
Thank God that I life in Bali. It is a real paradise, I think. More than beautiful beach and sunshine along the year, it protects from the harm, even the one flow from the most powerful country. (Adi)
Foreign Tourist Trips Shorter in Bali
Foreign tourists stayed in Bali for an average of 8.75 days each last year, down from 13.6 days each the previous year, an official says. As a consequence of the shorter stay, each foreign tourist spent only US$136 per day on average, or nearly $12 less than individual average spending the previous year.
Spokesman for the Bali administration I Ketut Teneng told Antara state news agency on Friday the decline in the foreign holidaymakers’ spending and length of stay had resulted in a lower quality of tourism on the island, despite the fact the number of tourists went up. The provincial government data revealed that 2.38 million foreigners visited Bali in 2009, up from 2.08 million the previous year. ( Wed, 03/24/2010)
Comments:
Bali is getting too expensive. Thailand is now 50 percent cheaper. Prices of hotels and dinner, and especially going out, are crazy. Drinks have gone up by 50 percent in 2/3 years.
Taxi drivers ask Rp 100,000 (US$11) for a ride of two minutes and refuse to put fares on the meter.
Fred Johnson
Ubud, Bali
I believe that Bali has an extraordinary image that is envied by the tourism business community across the globe.
Unfortunately it can no longer live up to that image.
Dirty beaches, a second-rate airport, dog slaughter, litter, corruption, environmental degradation and a lack of investment are just a few of the problems that have a negative impact on Bali.
Of course, the administration just sits on their hands pretending that all is OK, and make feeble excuses for their many and consistent failures, or simply tell lies by painting a false picture.
It is just another example amongst many of Indonesia’s inability to manage anything well. Our stupid arrogance and false pride also prevent us from admitting our shortcomings and enlisting professional managers.
Didi Karjadi
Bandung, West Java (Indonesia)
Bali Tourists Still Stranded at Ngurah Rai
The four-day closure of airports across Europe has left many Bali holidaymakers stranded at airports across Asia.
Dimyati, the assistant manager for legal and public relations at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport, said Monday that most passengers were heading to Asian airports with direct flights to Europe.
He said this meant the backlog of passengers at Ngurah Rai would be manageable when European airspace reopened.
Air space across much of Europe has been closed following the ongoing eruptions from a volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland.
Airplanes traveling through volcanic ash plumes are at severe risk of damage.
“We do not know when the airspace will re-open. We have not received advice from NOTAM [Notice to Airmen], nor do we know exactly how many passengers are stranded in Bali,” Dimyati said.
“Cathay Pacific has asked passengers to remain in Bali as Singapore is full. We are currently compiling data on how many other tourists have opted to stay in Bali rather than travel to airports where they catch their European flights.”
Tour groups have been badly hit by the eruption, according to Dutch tour leader Net Smit, who is traveling with 17 visitors.
“We have opted to stay on in Bali until we can fly directly to Europe,” Smit said.
“We met another group who are being flown on to Hong Kong tonight, but they will be stuck there when they arrive. “Certainly, all the hotels across much of Asia will be full because of the backlog of people wanting to get out. We are lucky to be here in Bali instead.”
Despite being “lucky” Smit says his group must “hotel hop” daily as most hotels are full with other rooms booked, waiting for travelers from Europe to begin arriving.
“We have no idea when we can fly. The airlines have given us no information at all, nor have the airport, or our travel agent. We don’t expect to be able to leave until maybe Thursday or Friday this week, and we don’t know how long we can stay in this hotel. We are hotel hopping. We are a big group so accommodation is difficult,” said Smit.
He said that the airline was not paying for the hotel accommodation.
Other airlines, he added, were providing accommodation for travelers.
“But Malaysia Airlines, who we are flying with, is not doing that.
The airline wanted my tour group to fly on to Kuala Lumpur and wait there, but these people are in a tour group and would not have a guide. The airport is 70 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur and the airline was not willing to help these people find accommodation, so they are better here in Bali,” Smit said.
He added that some members of his tour group were distressed at being unable to return home.
However they recognized there was no alternative, he added.
“We also have two tour groups stuck in Holland trying to get here.
“My groups travel to Sumatra, Java and then Bali, so everything now needs to be rescheduled,” Smit said.
Despite being “lucky” Smit says his group must “hotel hop” daily as most hotels are full, with other rooms booked off, waiting for travelers from Europe to arrive. (Trisha Sertori, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar | Wed, 04/21/2010)
Japanese Tourists Top Bali Tourist List
Japanese people topped the list of foreign tourists visiting Bali in 2008, with a total of 359,827 people from Japan, or approximately 18.06 percent of the total number of foreign tourists, visiting the resort island last year.
The number of Japanese tourists visiting Bali in 2008 represented a 2.21 percent increase from 2007, Ida Komang Wisnu, head of the local statistics office, told the Antara news agency on Tuesday.
Bali`s unique arts and culture as well as serene scenery were considered the chief attractions for Japanese tourists visiting the world-renowned island, he said.
Trailing behind Japan with he second highest number of visitors was Australia, with 313,313 tourists, a jump of 52.68 percent from 2007's figure of 205,205.
South Korea had the third highest number of visitors, with 134,909 tourists (6.77 percent), followed by China 131,909 (6.59 percent), Taiwan 130,449 (6.55 percent), Malaysia 129,727 (6.51 percent), the United Kingdom 82,827 (4.16 percent), Germany 82,686 (4.15 percent), France 77,379 (3.88 percent) and the United States 68,619 (3.44 percent).
The data also shows that the number of foreign tourists visiting Bali in 2008 increased by 24.16 percent. (The Jakarta Post | Tue, 02/10/2009).
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