Speaking at the opening of the new MarkPlus Center for Tourism and Hospitality in Sanur recently, Bali’s newly elected Vice Governor, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati (Cok Ace), said that discussions around problems to, and possible solutions for, Bali’s tourism industry have been going on for well over 10 years since the national government rolled out it’s regional autonomy initiative.

Since regional autonomy was introduced Indonesia’s provinces have had greater control over their own destinies and (importantly) their finances, but it has also created problems, particularly from those who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

Bali is a good example of this suggested Cok Ace. “The problem faced by Bali is not wanting to unite. Those who are already feeling the pleasure of autonomy are difficult to be invited to commit to building Bali,” he told Bali Post.

The goal is to improve and increase tourism, but to approach it from a different angle: instead of acting in isolation, the island’s new administration wants to create a mindset of One Island - One Management whereby culture, budgets and power will all be united.

Minister of Tourism, Arief Yahya, was fully supportive of the initiative. He said a number of other regional destinations have adopted a similar strategy with great success. Angkor Wat for example has a single management system and every year around 750,000 foreign tourists come to visit.

Georgetown in Penang, Malaysia, a UNESCO Heritage Site, is another success story for one management, with millions of foreigners visiting every year. "So the management of Bali must also be carried out by single management," said the Minister. This will require coordination and cooperation from all of Bali's eight regencies because the concept will position the island, not its regencies and provinces, as a single destination.

Chairman of MarkPlus Center for Tourism and Hospitality Hermawan Kartajaya said, the center’s mission is to actively participate in strengthening Indonesia’s tourism industry by holding discussions every year to provide input through evaluations, achievements and challenges that the Ministry of Tourism faces. The center will also create activities and programmes, including seminars, which will combine the perspectives of academics as well as representatives from the government, businesses and local communities.

Source: Bali Post, Inilah, Gaya Hidup, Tribun Bali

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