More signs are pointing towards Bali reopening for international tourism as Indonesian authorities inspected a Bali hospital to ensure it was ready to receive tourists if needed.
Authorities from the Ministry of Foreign affairs and the Ministry of Health visited Sanglah Public Hospital in Denpasar on Friday Nov 13th 2020 to ensure the safety of tourists once Bali reopens.
Their team was inspecting Sanglah Hospital to ensure its operating protocols in handling COVID-19 patients were all being followed properly.
During the visit, the team from Minister of International Affairs were accompanied by authorities from the Ministry of Health and the Bali Health Agency.
They were onsite to inspect the way the hospital receives new Covid-19 patients, check the capacity of the treatment rooms and oversea the laboratory facility protocols.
The visit was to ensure that Sanglah Hospital is ready to receive travelers in the case of COVID-19 infections.
The Director of Public and Operational Management, Dr Ni Luh Dharma Kerti Natih presented the facilities that Sanglah Hospital has prepared for dealing with COVID-19.
She explained that all the medical staff have been trained and understand every protocol regarding how to handle Covid-19 patients.
She also said that all the infrastructure, logistics, and experience they have, has prepared the hospital to be ready for any situation that might present when Bali does reopen.
According to the Instagram post by The Sanglah hospital they were preparing for the return of international tourism.
“Soon Bali will be open to international flights.” the post read.
From Bali Sun
Posted in Bali Health, Bali News, Bali TravelComments Off on INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT INSPECTS BALI HOSPITAL IN PREPARATION FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURISM REOPENING
The Indonesian government has announced that the Bali tourism industry will receive US $78.5 million (IDR 1,1 trillion) in stimulus funding to help survive the pandemic and prepare health protocols for the eventual return of tourism.
Bali will receive the largest part of the national stimulus program due to the hard hit tourism sector.
The stimulus from the central government will be delivered to all tourism areas in Bali explained Indonesian Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani.
“Badung will get USD $67,7 million, Gianyar will get USD $9,6 million, Karangasem will get USD $971,428, Buleleng will get USD $957,142, Klungkung will get USD $1,4 million, Tabanan will get USD $528,571, Bangli will get USD $70,785 and Jimbaran will get USD $121,428,” she said.
“Bali alone will get 1/3 of the total cash assistance from Central Government” Mulyani said during a meeting with the Commission XI of Indonesian Senators on Thursday Nov 12th 2020.
The Central Government is granting a total USD $235,7 million in stimulus packages to affected tourism areas nationwide under a program that will run until the end of 2021.
The stimulus will be granted to tourism businesses and the regional governments to help survive the pandemic financially and prepare for a cleaner and safer tourism environment for travelers.
For businesses to qualify for funding, they must hold a valid business permit, paid their taxes in 2019 and have operated until at least July, 2020.
“Each Regional Government will determine the amount of money each business gets depending on their tax contribution from 2019,” Sri Mulyani concluded.
From Bali Sun
Posted in Bali News, BusinessComments Off on BALI TOURISM INDUSTRY WILL RECEIVE U.S. $78.5 MILLION IN ECONOMIC STIMULUS
The Provincial Government of Bali has launched a new electric bus service in Bali in a ceremony held at the Governor’s Residence in Denpasar on Friday, 06 November 2020.
As reported by Tribun-Bali.com, the head of the Provincial Transportation Authority, I Gde Samsi Gunarta, said the trial operation of electric buses in the Strategic National Tourism Zone (KSPN) follows a decision by the Director-General of Land Transportation.
Initially, the electric bus service will be operated by 12 buses headquartered at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport.
The five initial electric bus routes will serve:
1: Bandara I Gusti Ngurah Rai-Central Park Kuta-Ubung-Mengwi-Bedugul-Singaraja.
2: Bandara I Gusti Ngurah Rai-Sanur-Ubud-Kintamani-Singaraja.
3: Singaraja-Menjangan-Taman Nasional Bali Barat.
4: Bandara I Gusti Ngurah Rai-Goa Lawah-Padangbai-Manggis-Amuk-Amed.
5: Bandara I Gusti Ngurah Rai-Sanur-Klungkung-Besakih
The electric bus system will only embark and disembark passengers at fixed points along the declared routes.
In addition to the above island-wide bus system, an electrified shuttle bus service is planned in Bali’s centralized government administrative zone. The shuttle bus will connect government offices in Renon to Jalan WR Supratman to the Provincial Police Headquarters, the Indonesian Arts Institute Denpasar (ISI), the Warnadewa University before returning to Renon.
Samsi underlined that the electric buses’ initial operation plans are intended to trial the buses in various applications in Bali.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation is funding the new bus services with buses provided by the Bali Development Bank (BPD), PT INKA (The Indonesian Train Service), and PT Build Your Dreams.
As a move to popularize the new service, the buses will operate without charge until the end of 2020.
Kompas.com reports that the new Electric Bus System is part of a more ambitious program by the Government of Indonesia to introduce electric buses, elevated suspension cars, and trams in various locations across the Island. The overall Bali Transportation network’s tram element will include a 7-kilometer long system in Kuta and a 12-kilometer system in Sanur.
The tram system is funded by the Indonesian Rail System (PT INKA) supported by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) headquartered in Jeddah.
Part of the project is the construction of a workshop costing Rp. 2.6 trillion.
n the first two months of 2020, before the COVID-19 Pandemic outbreak, a daily average of 40,000 to 45,000 vehicles used the Bali Mandara Toll Road connecting Sanur-Kuta-Nusa Dua. More recently, amidst the tourism lockdown, that average number is closer to 8,000 vehicles per day.
NusaBali calculates that the use of the Jalan Tol Bali Mandara has decreased in November 2020 by 75% from pre-pandemic levels. Despite the downturn in traffic and, because the problem is one of diminishing demand instead of price resistance, the roadway’s management has no plans to reduce the toll tariff. What’s more, to help popularize the road’s use, the Toll Road Managers plan to launch soon a promotional program underlining the sensation of driving over the open ocean.
The spokesperson for Jasa Marga Bali Tol I, Putu Gandi Ginarta, speaking on Sunday, 25 October 2020, confirmed the drastic decline in toll road usage during the Pandemic. After recording an actual increase in traffic in January and February 2020, vehicular use declined by around 75% during April-October 2020.
Ginarta said that, typically, 80% of the toll road use is related to tourism. As a result, if Bali’s tourism industry slumps, traffic on Bali’s only toll road will also automatically dip.
Gandi explained that during the Pandemic, the toll road has carried only 8,000 to 10,000 vehicles each day, broken down further to 52% four-wheeled vehicles and 48% motorcycles.
Gandi continued, saying: “Once tourism recovers, we will create several programs to increase traffic, such as the promotion of the Bali Mandara Toll Road as a tourist destination with the unique sensation of driving over the sea, together with other promotional programs. We have prepared various ways to increase interest in using the toll road.”
The number of COVID-19 cases is dropping rapidly in Bali as most of the island is no longer considered in the ‘red zone’.
Indonesian Military leaders are praising the Bali Provincial Government and the people for being disciplined with the strict health and safety protocols.
The wearing of face masks, keeping hands sanitized and physical distancing has lead to the decrease of COVID-19 cases in Bali.
The Head Staff of Military Command IX/Udayana, Brigadier General Candra Wijaya told Tribune, “The number of cases is trending downward especially in Bali.”
He also said that The Coordinator of Investment and Maritime Minister, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has appreciated about the way the Bali Provincial Government has enforced the prevention of COVID-19. He added that very few people in Bali are no longer wearing masks.
Bali Vice Governor, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati (a.k.a Cok Ace) said that the reducing number of cases is due to the health protocols that have been put in place and he would be disappointed in anyone still refusing to wear a mask at this point.
Cok Ace reminded the people that before a vaccine is distributed, face masks are the best prevention method to stop virus transmission.
“As a tourist destination, Bali must earn the trust from the travelers by continuing to promote healthy and safe tourism,” Cok Ace told Radar Bali.
“I am reminding everyone in the hospitality business to keep implementing health and safety measures which they started to ignore recently” Cok Ace added.
The Bali COVID-19 Task Force reported that for the last three days, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been in the 60’s compared with previous weeks which were seeing numbers in the 90’s and 100’s.
Cok Ace is asking all the people in Bali to start operating their business in the markets to recover from the financial crisis, especially during the holiday season.
Tourists that have recently visited Ubud were disappointed to find all shops and markets still closed.
The Indonesian Ministry for Tourism and the Creative Economy is expanding and socializing its protocols for Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and the Environment (CHSE) for use by Indonesia’s diving and snorkeling industry.
The Ministry of Tourism has socialized CHSE standards for the diving and snorkeling sector on Tuesday, 06 October 2020, that are now shared on the Ministry’s Youtube channel.
The Ministry’s CHSE Team leader for diving and snorkeling, Abimanju Carnadie, said the training is based on input provided by the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and related agencies.
To complement the specialized training, the Tourism Ministry has also prepared a 37-page guide, presented in Indonesian and English.
The publication provides general guidelines on CHSE for people participating in diving and snorkeling activities. Recommendations on not sharing diving equipment, maintaining physical distance, and other safe practice is presented.
The handbook and course material presented by the Ministry of Tourism provides details on 15 general guidelines for CHSE standard diving and snorkeling:
Dive industry operators and customers are reminded to ensure they are medical healthy before undertaking water sports. This advice takes effect before diving and includes, first and foremost, only boarding a flight to a diving destination if the traveler is healthy.
Everyone should use Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) – at a minimum facial masks or face shields.
Practice physical distancing by maintaining at least one-meter of open space. This distance has been reduced from the previously recommended two-meters, which, according to operators, was not practical for use in the field. Physical distancing efforts can be enhanced by limiting the number of participants in a diving group, configuring distanced seating on dive boats, and staggering diving schedules.
All water sports operators must provide a sufficient number of handwashing stations and hand sanitizers for use by both staff and guests.
All equipment used in providing diving and snorkeling activities must be disinfected at least three times a day, and before and after each new cycle of use.
Take the necessary steps to maintain high-quality air in all places used by staff and customers. Open areas exposed to breezes and sunlight are preferred. Places equipped with air conditioning should ensure that the air conditioning systems’ filters are cleaned on a routine basis.
All those undertaking diving and snorkeling activities must complete a Diver’s Medical Clearance based on the Divers Alert Network (DAN) guidelines or those of a similar agency. An additional “risk-assessment survey” provided by the Indonesian Ministry of Health should be completed before engaging in diving activities.
Tourists traveling on live-aboard vessels are required to bring a current certificate verifying a “negative” result for the coronavirus proven by a Rapid Test or PCT Swab Test. Divers following land-based dive expeditions are only required to undergo a body temperature check before a diving or snorkeling activity.
Live-aboard operators are directed to limit the number of guests carried on their vessels to enhance physical distancing.
Regular temperature checks should be undertaken to ensure that no member of staff or client’s temperatures exceed 37.3 degrees Celsius. Anyone registering a temperature over 37.3 degrees Celsius in two consecutive tests performed 5 minutes apart should be refused entry/access and sent to a nearby medical facility.
Individuals with temperatures below 37.3 Celsius but manifesting symptoms consistent with a respiratory or COVID-19 infection must be refused entry and referred to a nearby medical facility.
Workers confirmed to be infected or suspected of suffering from COVID-19 must self-isolate until a doctor confirms that they are again free of the virus.
Dive operators should follow the established guidelines to a clean and healthy lifestyle that includes consuming a nutritious diet, 30 minutes of physical activity each day, and a minimum of 7-hours of sleep each day.
Dive operation management must provide information and training to all employees on cleanliness, hygiene, health, and safety. Regular audits must be made to ensure that the CHSE protocols are in place and being rigorously followed.
Dive operators are required to supply closed trash receptacles for the disposal of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and other trash that might serve as a medium for transmitting thecoronavirus. The final disposal of all trash and wastewater must be done safely.
Over 16,000 domestic tourists arrived in Bali over a 3 day period marking a new three day high since the pandemic began.
According to the data from Air Traffic Control at Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport from Oct 25th to 27th 2020, there were 16,332 tourists that arrived in Bali.
The arrivals at the domestic terminal on Tuesday Oct 27th 2020 was the highest day within the last 7 months with 6,305 tourists from 56 flights.
On Oct 25th and 26th Bali received 4,980 and 5,047 domestic tourists.
Communication and Legal Manager of Angkasa Pura I Ltd. Ngurah Rai Airport, Andanina Dyah Permata Megasari said that it was a new record of domestic arrivals during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
“We had 6,305 domestic arrivals yesterday, but I don’t think that was the peak. We will wait and see how it will turn out this weekend” Andanina said in an interview on Wednesday Oct 28th 2020.
She reminded passengers at Ngurah Rai Airport to keep following the health protocols including the wearing of masks, keeping their hand sanitized and practicing social distancing.
She’s explained that the airport has been preparing and optimizing resources and extra staff to ensure that there won’t be any long line ups. Her main goal for the increase in arrivals was to prevent a large crowd from forming.
The airport also had contingency plans in case of flight cancellations or delays due to bad weather that would relocate passengers to prevent the terminal from becoming overcrowded.
Andanina said the airport has extra security and cleaning staff to monitor the movement of all passengers inside the airport area and keep the airport sanitized.
“We’ve been regularly disinfecting all the areas of the airport every 4 hours to prevent virus transmission.” Andanina concluded.
The famous Ubud Monkey Forest in Bali will reopen for tourists on November 5th, 2020 with new health protocols in place.
The Monkey Forest in Ubud is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Bali that is located in Padangtegal Village and has been closed since the pandemic began.
The Head Of Padangtegal Village, I Made Gandra has decided to reopen the Ubud Monkey Forest as an effort to recover the economic situation of the local community in Padangtegal especially for the surrounding area of the monkey forest.
“We must do this especially for the monkeys, somebody has to feed these animals and to attract people to come to Ubud” Made Gandra said to Bali Vice Governor, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati (Cok Ace) in Governor’s Office on Tuesday Oct 27th 2020.
Cok Ace is in support of reopening plan on November 5th.
Cok Ace agreed to the plan to reopen several tourist attractions in Ubud as long as they are following all COVID-19 prevention protocols to avoid transmission of the virus in Ubud.
“Please stay safe and follow the rules to prevent creating a new cluster of COVID-19 inside the Monkey Forest” Cok Ace said.
Cok Ace said that the Ubud area seems like a ghost town and has been hit harder than anywhere else on the island without any tourist activity in sight.
He asked to the local community in Ubud to keep their shop doors open, which will help create an ambience that feels normal in hopes that it will bring more people back to the area.
“Most of the accomodations in Ubud are closed so it has caused domestic tourists to stay elsewhere on the island. It obviously makes things worse in Ubud that it still appears mostly closed” Cok Ace concluded.
While the term “Sultan” is a term usually reserved for the sovereign of a kingdom, it is also the name for a new luxury bus service connecting Denpasar – Malang-Batu-Ngantang-Kandangan-Pare-Kediri. Using the latest generation of Mercedes Benz Bus, the “Sultan Class” busses operated by Bali Transporation Operator MTrans truly redefines luxury overland transport in Bali.
Maximizing physical distancing with luxurious reclining seats are only three across with an aisle on each side of the middle seat. The seats recline and are extra-wide. The full-sized bus has seating for only 23 passengers because of the generous use of space when a bus of this size with standard seat configuration might accommodate 45 seats.
Armrests, wide-seating, and reclining headrests are supplemented in each seat with connections suitable for recharging electronic devices.
Visiting some of the most scenic spots on the roads less traveled between Bali and Kediri, East Java, the entire trip is attractively priced at only Rp. 250,000 one-way. The price includes a blanket, pillow, mineral water, lunch, snack, and dinner. Announcements to passengers are made through sound and screen links located on the back of each seat.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and the Creative Economy chose The Bali Safari and Marine Park for the launch of its new “We Love Bali” program on Wednesday, 14 October 2020. The program is intended to educate the public while popularizing the Ministry’s Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environmental (CHSE) guidelines to facilitate tourism in the new era of pandemic travel.
Commenting on the launch, Tourism Minister Wishnutama Kusubandio said: “In my observations, beginning from the ticket lockets until the operation of all its facilities, Bali Safari has successfully implemented all the health protocols. This is important to persuade visitors that this destination is safe from the spread of COVID-19.”
In response, the General Manager of Bali Safari, Thomas Colbert, restated the seriousness with which Bali Safari approaches the requirement to keep the Park safe as a recreational destination during the current global pandemic. “The launch of the ‘We Love Bali’ programs at Bali Safari is very important because it demonstrates that Bali is a destination that is both safe and comfortable,” said Colbert.
Colbert recounted how the Bali Safari Park closed its gates from 27 March until 09 July 2020 during the official lockdown period to prevent the spread of COVID-19. During the shutdown, every aspect of the Park’s operation was examined to optimize future visitors and guests’ safety and welfare. Because of the Park’s ‘start-to-finish dedication’ to CHSE procedures, they were among the first public places reopened to the public and is now used as an example to other Island operators.
The launch of the “We Love Bali” programs at the Bali Safari Park on Wednesday also included the attendance of many Indonesian celebrities, including Ayu Laksmi and Happy Salma.
Bali Safari embraces the Indonesian mantra to “Love Mother Earth as you love your mother.” As a result, the Park is a living laboratory reflecting the Balinese tenets of “Tri Hita Karana” that mandates a careful balance between humanity and God; humanity and the natural environment; and all fellow members of the human race.
NusaBali provides insights on how badly some segments of Bali’s Water Sports Sector have been hit over the past nine months by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The many surf schools operating in the Kuta area of Bali have seen their business slow to a trickle, with many reporting no customers and forced to close until further notice.
One surfing instructor on Kuta Beach, Ewaldus Somba (24), complained he had been incredibly hard hit by the business downturn precipitated by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Because foreign tourists overwhelmingly comprise his market of those wishing to learn how to surf, the continuing absence of foreign visitors to the Island has virtually eliminated any cash flow for his enterprise.
“Talk about impact? Certainly, we have been greatly affected. What’s more, most of those using our service on Kuta Beach were foreigners. Now, no foreign tourists are coming to Bali. The few foreigners you see are ex-pats living here, said Somba on Friday, 31 October 2020.
Somba, who is originally from Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara, said that before the Pandemic, he could net some Rp. 800,000 each day from renting surfboards. In the current condition, it is not guaranteed that he will earn even Rp. 50,000 in a single day of business. On many days, he returns home with no earnings at all.
“Before COVID-19, I usually taught foreign tourists how to surf. In addition to renting a surfboard, I also worked as a surfing instructor. I could earn Rp. 200,000 every two hours. Now, I am lucky even to earn Rp. 50,000, said Ewaldus, who has worked on Kuta Beach for the past three years.
Ewaldus said he is still fortunate to be able to rent surfing boards to domestic customers. The government of Bali is allowing limited activity by surfing operators in Bali.
Ewaldus said, ” fellow instructors and I have all felt the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. Anyone who lives from tourism is suffering. We all hope that the economy will soon recover, and we can resume our regular business.”
Northern Bali reached a hotel occupancy of 20% over the holiday weekend after being at zero since the start of the pandemic.
Head of Tourism Awareness Group Segara Giri Pemuteran, I Ketut Sutrawan said that the there were many tourists who visited the Pemuteran area, especially around the coral reef conservation area.
“The majority of the visitors were domestic tourists. The number has been increased by 20% after having zero occupancy since the Covid-19 Pandemic started,” Sutrawan said on Saturday Oct 31st 2020.
Tourists started coming on Oct 26th 2020 arriving from Jakarta, Surabaya and some expats who have been staying in Bali.
Most of the tourists were traveling as families. For hotels that have around 25 rooms, usually at least 6 were filled over the long weekend.
As an official who has been working in the tourism industry for decades, Sutrawan said that hotels need to offer great rates to entice more guest to stay at the properties.
Many hotels were already seen giving discounts of up to 50% off rooms. The locals employed in tourism in Pemuteran were very grateful to see the increase but it should be short lived as the holiday weekend ends.
Sutrawan explained that locals are worried COVID-19 cases could grow but officials have said that Pemuteran is safe as long as everyone continues to follow the COVID-19 health prevention protocols.
A coral restoration project at Pandawa Beach in Bali will provide income to a village community while building a new sustainable tourist attraction.
Pandawa Beach has been chosen as the location to run the National Economic Recovery Program to conserve the coral called the Indonesia Coral Reef Garden (ICRF).
The Head of Kutuh Village, I Nyoman Mesir said that he is grateful his villagers have been able to get involved in the program.
“There are 1,202 residents of Kutuh Village that could receive jobs from the program and will earn additional income for 45 days. Apart from that, we will finally build the sea garden that people had been dreaming of,” Nyoman Mesir said in an interview after attending The ICRF Implementation Program on Pandawa Beach, Friday Oct 30th 2020.
Nyoman is also planning to export the corals in the future. “I plan to reach the international market to sell our corals once we figure out how cultivate and sustain them properly” Nyoman added.
The coverage of the coral restoration area is around 7 acres on the west side of Pandawa Beach.
Nyoman said that the area will become a prime snorkeling area that will attract many tourists.
Many residents in Kutuh Village want to be part of the coral restoration program as they will earn USD $7.50 (IDR 110,000) per day for 45 days.
Wages will automatically be deposited from the Regional Development Bank (BPD).”The money really helps our residents to survive during the Covid-19 Pandemic” Nyoman Mesir concluded.
The village is highly optimistic that the coral restoration will help bring more tourists to the area as there will be multiple activities for visitors rather than just the beach alone.
More than just a Festival, KEMBALI 2020: A Rebuild Bali Festival (KEMBALI20) is aimed at boosting Indonesia’s creative industries of literature, art, and gastronomy to give a voice to Bali’s young entrepreneurs while embracing extraordinary international talent.
From 29 October – 8 November 2020, experience Bali like never before with over 120 authors, artists, journalists, farmers, chefs, and activists. Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Yayasan Mudra Swari Saraswati – an independent, not-for-profit foundation in Ubud, Bali – has postponed two renowned international events: Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (UWRF) and Ubud Food Festival (UFF).
The Foundation then took the best of the two Festivals and reimagined these elements into a new, interactive, digital celebration of literature, arts, culinary, and culture.
After engineering the full lineup and over 60 digital programs, KEMBALI20 is launching a series of free events, including Teater Kuliner cooking challenges, Music & Arts performances, and Film Screenings.
The free events are accessible on the Festival’s official website and Youtube channel.
“Kembali” means “return” and declares that the Festival is back! Accordingly, the Festival will bring Bali back in a way that has never before been experienced. “We’re not showing you the tourist destinations or popular spots to take pictures, but we want you to see the island in its truest form,” commented KEMBALI20 Founder and Director Janet DeNeefe. Adding: “The community, the land, the authenticities that are often unseen by the public, we are sharing the best of Bali.”
For Music & Arts, KEMBALI20 presents the Annual Poetry Slam, one of UWRF’s most sizzling events in a digital format. Collaborating with Bali’s only dedicated poetry slam collective, Unspoken, this event is set to be a Festival highlight. After the passing of the late, great Sapardi Djoko Damono, Balinese dancer Dewa Ayu Eka Putri will also show a touching tribute to the legendary figure in Indonesian literature.
Other events include experimental theatre, Laksmi Pamuntjak’s reading of Fall Baby, Ubud contemporary dance, poetry, and music. In an exciting celebrity-versus-chefs cook-up, the Festival’s Teater Kuliner will present Susi Pudjiastuti, former Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, who will cook alongside Chef Bart van Olphen, one of the world’s most passionate sustainable fishing advocates from Amsterdam. They are teaming up to cook a traditional Middle Eastern fish dish, Chraime.
Indonesian rock star Kaka Slank has also accepted the virtual cooking challenge from leading Indonesian Chef Aga Alvian. They each will whip up their versions of a vegan burger.
The Film Screenings allows the audiences the opportunity to interact directly with filmmakers, producers, and authors. The Festival is screening an exclusive premiere of Our Mothers’ Land, a documentary that follows journalist Febriana Firdaus’ journey in highlighting women in Indonesia. She examines the lives of women who have risen to lead social movements while facing violence, imprisonment, and judgment from conservative societies as they fight for their rights.
Determined to document and celebrate Balinese’s resilience and adaptation during the pandemic, the Yayasan Mudra Swari Saraswati team set out with local filmmaker Wayan Martino to collect stories from farms learning centers, and home industries. During the Festival, enjoy five inspiring Stories from the Field, a chance for the global audience to see more to Bali than just beaches and rice paddies.
The audience is invited to explore an eco-house in Bengkala village, the Pedawa Village in North Bali. Bengkala is known for its palm sugar and local mythology, efforts to involve the local community in vanilla farming, its coffee trade, and the sacred nature with which locals regard traditional Balinese cuisine.
“We are proud to present the Stories from the Field series – an honest and beautiful portrayal of Balinese culture and people,” said Janet DeNeefe. Adding: “From our very first year, all of our initiatives are dedicated to our community, and we hope to do the same this year. KEMBALI20 aims to help fulfill Indonesia’s creative needs while showcasing its cultural diversity to the world.”
Kembali 2020: A Rebuild Bali Festival will be held from 29 October to 8 November 2020 in a digital and on-the-ground format, accessible to all through its donation-based sessions.
Politeia.id has published a news report, perhaps suggesting subtle resistance by giant reptiles to the ongoing creation of the “Jurassic Park Project” on Rinca Island located within the Komodo National Park.
Social Media See Metaphor in Komodo Block a Truck at Rinca Island.
In an image published on social media, a giant Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is seen blocking a truck involved in developing the Jurassic Park Project. The picture was published on the Twitter account of “Save Komodo Now” @KawanBaikKomodo on Friday, 24 October 2020, and received over a thousand retweets and more than 800 likes.
The largest surviving species of prehistoric lizards, the Komodo monitor lizard is endemic to the Island of Komodo, Rinca Island, Flores Island, and Gili Montang in the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara, where it grows to a maximum length of 3-meters and weigh as much as 70 kilograms.
The posting, quoted by Politeia.id, is from a group who are outspokenly opposed plans to develop the Komodo National Park, who uploaded the picture of the truck in a stand-off with a dragon and an accompanying message on social media saying: “Sad! Komodo is facing a Jurassic Tourism building project truck on Rinca Island. The first time the Komodo Dragons have heard an engine’s sound and smell of exhaust smoke. What will the impact of these projects look like in the future? Does anyone care about conservation?”
The Jurassic Park Project on Rinca Island will create viewing areas covering 1.3 hectares on Rinca Island, one of the three largest islands within the Komodo National Park.
Rinca Island covers a total area of 198 square meters.
The enhancement of The Komodo National Park and the adjoining Regency of West Manggarai on Flores Island with infrastructure improvements are part of a program launched by the Government in 2019. The program is championed by President Joko Widodo and the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment to boost national tourism.
Minister Luhut has described the building project on Rinca Island as hosting a research center that aspires to improve the local populace’s welfare.
An animated film uploaded to Instagram by Fania Hafila, the architect in charge of the “Wisata Jurassic Indonesia Project,” shows the basic design for the Rinca viewing platform facility complemented by the musical score by John Williams for the Hollywood blockbuster “Jurassic Park.” The closing moment of the video shows the logo of Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing who are undertaking the construction.
However, the Komodo Dragon Viewing Area’s opening on Rinca Island may present a more practical and problematic obstacle, perhaps not contemplated by planners. Well-informed conservationists generally agree that the baiting or feeding of the Komodo Dragons to bring them into view of visiting tourists is damaging to the reptiles’ natural predatory instincts. Because of this, conservationists in charge at Komodo long ago outlawed baited feeding of the dragons in favor of walking tours of the natural habitat in the hope of coincidental spotting the reptiles.
Because of this, questions are being raised by critics of the Jurassic Park Project on Rinca Island, asking how free-roaming dragons will be lured to the viewing area without resorting to the condemned practice of baiting the dragons.
The Tourism Rescue Community Forum (Formapp) is opposed to the Rinca project, claiming the concrete constructed information center and viewing deck is at odds with the Komodo Dragon’s natural habitat and The Komodo National Park’s designation as a national conservation area.
Formapp member, Venan Haryanto, expressed concerns that drilling water wells as part of the Rinca Island Project will deplete limited precious water sources on arid Rinca Island.
Shana Fatina, a Director of the Labuan Bajo Authority, has defended the Pulau Rinca Jurassic Park Project’s construction, claiming that the structures and the access roads used in its construction are located on lands zoned for public use. Shana also insists that the facility’s planning included a detailed environmental impact assessment and input from the Ministry of the Environment and Forestry together with UNESCO.
But still unclear is how the dragons will be coaxed to visit the 4,000-square-meters tourist information center and viewing deck without reverting to controversial feeding and baiting practices.
Shana, who once headed a government-endorsed halal tourism project in Labuan Bajo, explains that the Rinca Island Project is intended to enhance its tourist carrying capacity. The Government’s vision is to utilize Rinca Island as the closest point to the population center of Labuan Bajo for the general public to view the Komodo Dragons.
The other and more remote main islands of the Park – Komodo Island and Pandar Island will be reserved exclusively for tourists paying a special membership fee.
Bali Water Sports operators on the Tanjung Benoa Penninsula show faint signs of renewed life following Bali’s reopening to domestic tourism on 31 July 2020.
With group bookings now rare, Tanjung Benoa Water Sports operators now content themselves with surviving on vastly-reduced income levels that represent a small fraction of what they were in better times.
Putu Agus Sanjaya, a water sports operator on Tanjung Benoa, told detik.com and The State News Agency Antara on Saturday, 31 August 2020, a wide range of health protocols are now in operation for all water sports operators, including hand sanitizing and the routine disinfecting of all sports equipment.
He also revealed that some sports equipment has fallen into disrepair during the pandemic’s prolonged shut-down, meaning that some sports options remain temporarily unavailable until repairs can be undertaken.
“Before the pandemic, the daily income for watersports on the entire Penninsula was between Rp. 100 million to Rp. 150 million, but now totals only around Rp. 50 million for an entire month. That money is being diverted to pay for repairs of speed boats and other equipment. In any case, the equipment we use is subjected to the ocean and must be quickly maintained and serviced,” said Sanjaya.
Last year before the pandemic, domestic and international tourists flocked to Tanjung Benoa. Until March of 2020, the Beach was filled with visitors from China, Europe, India, the Middle East, and domestic tourists.
The business downturn has necessitated the furlough of many water sports workers now sitting at home, hoping for business to improve. A typical work complement of 70 workers has been reduced by 70% from among the 23 separate water sports operators based on the peninsula.
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