Indonesia & Bali Tourism New

JAKARTA (AFP) — In the middle of Jakarta there is a place more reminiscent of the ruins of Cambodia’s Angkor than the heart of a historic capital seeking to promote itself to the world.

Trees grow through the crumbling ceilings of derelict buildings, while thick vines reach out into the sun through dark windows and cracked walls.

Jakarta’s historic “Old Town” of Batavia, the centuries-old centre of Dutch colonial trade and administration until only about 60 years ago, is in ruins. (more…)

Aditya Suharmoko ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta

Attracting 6.4 million foreign tourists to a country so rich in sights and experiences that few places in the world can match it should be an easy task, even without an expensive government campaign.

Yet somehow it wasn’t. Even with months of preparations and extensive promotions as part of the 2008 Visit Indonesia Year campaign, Indonesia fell short of its target for the year.

By the end of October, the number of foreign tourist arrivals in 2008 had reached 5.1 million, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). While this represents growth of 13.07 percent from the same period of 2007, making up the 1.3 million shortfall by the end of the year seems to be asking too much. (more…)

Urgent Warning from Island’s Government that Unregulated Development May be Irreparably Destroying Bali’s Environment

Bali’s provincial government has begun sounding warning alarms due to the degradation of the island’s natural environment over the past decade. In an article published in Kompas, the erosion of Bali’s shore line now approaches 20%, 55,000 hectares of land mass are considered in a critical state and the island’s average temperature has increased to 33 degree Celsius. According to that report, much of the blame for the rapid decline in Bali’s natural environment is being laid at the door of the Island’s tourism industry. (more…)

Jetstar has increased its Perth-Denpasar (Bali) service to four times weekly following its launch in October. Jetstar now fly between Perth and Denpasar (Bali) each Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with fares from AUD259 one-way (JetSaver Light) fare at Jetstar.com.

Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan said, “This additional Perth-Bali service reinforces Jetstar’s position as the largest Australian airline serving Bali with our flights growing to 17 weekly return services via multiple capital city points,” Mr Buchanan said “Since we announced our decision to operate on the Perth-Denpasar (Bali) route earlier this year, Jetstar has offered fares from as low as AUD179 one-way.”  (more…)

What? No air-conditioning? Getting back to basics amid a setting of untouched rainforest is the idea at Nikoi

“Boutique” is no longer chic: the next generation of Asian resorts is all about “barefoot luxury” — an upmarket restatement of the backpacker beach holiday, stressing simplicity and raw nature. Nikoi Island, www.nikoi.com, is a good example.

Ringed by white-sand beaches and coral reefs, and lying some 53 miles (85 km) southeast of Singapore, the Indonesian island of Nikoi comprises 37 rainforest-covered acres (15 hectares). The six two-story thatched beach houses (nine more are due to open in mid-2009) were built using driftwood. Double-vaulted roofs draw hot air up, so there’s no need for air-conditioners. Guests will search in vain for televisions, but there are iPod speakers, stone-floored open bathrooms, a pavilion for massages and direct access to the beach. (For more travel tips and stories visit time.com/travel.) (more…)

Erwida Maulia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives passed a new tourism bill into law Wednesday that orders the establishment of an independent board to promote Indonesia’s tourism at home and abroad.

The Indonesian Tourism Promotion Board will be responsible for all promotion-related activities, including coordinating promotional works of central and local tourism enterprises.

The 2008 Tourism Bill, initiated by the House, was passed during its plenary session to replace the 1990 Tourism Law. (more…)