Spiritual tourism potential in Bali not fully tapped

Spiritual tourism potential in Bali not fully tapped

Bali has been billed as one of the world’s top spiritual tourism destinations, but its potential has yet to be fully tapped, a seminar heard Saturday.

Wayan Wijayasa, an industry observer from the Denpasar Tourism Academy, said the fact was, spiritual tourism was already blooming in Bali.

“A simple example is the fact there are more and more hotels offering yoga classes. More and more tourists are coming to Bali to deepen their spirituality, although we do not have the detailed figures yet,” he said.

Wijayasa, who has a master’s degree in tourism focusing on yoga, was speaking at the seminar being held at the Ashram Gandhi Puri Sevagram in Klungkung. The seminar was part of the ongoing International Bali-India Yoga Festival, which runs until Tuesday.

He said the untapped potential to develop such tourism came mainly from Western countries, whose citizens were keen to learn Eastern philosophy, especially yoga. Citing from a study conducted by US researcher Hodge, he said there were 16.5 million adults in the United States alone who practiced yoga.

“If only 1 percent of that figure visited Bali for spiritual tourism, then there would be at least 160,000 yoga tourists to Bali in a year,” Wijayasa said.

The study also found Americans spent a total of US$2.95 billion on buying yoga equipment, including mattresses, and classes.

“If Bali was more creative, we could become the main supplier for such equipment,” Wijayasa said.

Based on his own study in 2007, Wijayasa found there were 14 hotels in Ubud, Bangli regency, that offered yoga classes.

Wijayasa was upbeat that Bali could benefit greatly from spiritual tourism, especially considering the island also boasted beautiful natural scenery such as beaches and mountains, thus adding to the strong spiritual vibrations.

Also speaking at the seminar was Ketut Narya, head of research and development at the Bali Tourism Agency, and Indra Udayana, head of the Ashram Gandhi Puri Sevagram.

Despite the huge potential, Narya admitted the provincial administration had yet to draw up a clear concept on how to develop spiritual tourism in the island province.

“The development of spiritual tourism has been done by practitioners, while the provincial administration has yet to devise a development concept,” he said.

“Nevertheless, the administration strongly supports efforts to develop spiritual tourism in Bali.”
“We will soon devise a concept to develop spiritual tourism as a way to enhance, enrich and broaden the tourism products we already have.”

Narya added spiritual tourism was in line with the cultural tourism concept, regulated under Bylaw No. 3/1991 on Cultural Tourism.

“We are also expecting spiritual tourism to help extend visitors’ length of stay, which in turn will bring higher spending,” he said.

The agency recorded that in 2008, the average length of stay in Bali was 10.6 days.

Indra added there was such a high potential for spiritual tourism here, and cited his own facility. Ashram Gandhi Puri Sevagram has five bedrooms, with visitors staying an average of two weeks.

Ni Komang Erviani , THE JAKARTA POST , KLUNGKUNG,BALI | Sun, 03/08/2009 9:18 AM | Headlines

Udayana to tighten security for exams

There will be additional security measure for national examinations at junior and senior high school levels in Bali this year, as a special monitoring team will be deployed by Udayana University.

Head of the Bali Education, Youth and Sports Agency, I Ketut Wija, said Monday that the measure was based on the policy of the National Education Minister to increase public trust, including that of the universities, in students' exam results.

He said such a team would be established in all provinces, coordinated by the local state university and appointed by the National Education Standards Board (BNSP).

"The board has appointed Udayana University to become the coordinator in Bali," he said.

Wija was speaking at a meeting with Udayana University Rector I Wayan Bhakta to discuss the issue.

Meanwhile, Bhakta said the team would consist of two groups, an examination monitoring team (TPU) and an independent monitoring team (TPI).

The TPU will consist of 369 lecturers from state universities in Bali comprising of Udayana University, the State Hindu Dharma Institute (IHDN), Ganesha Education University, the Bali Polytechnic and the Tourism Academy (STP).

"This team will monitor examinations at senior high school or madrasah aliyah (Islamic senior high school)," said Bhakta.

"There will be two team members deployed at each school."

Bhakta added Udayana University would also act as coordinator for TPI while the 545-member strong team consisted of lecturers from private universities. 436 TPI members will be deployed at junior high schools and 109 members would go to vocational high schools with each school getting one TPI supervisor.

Bhakta said TPU would have wider authority as members were allowed to enter the classrooms during examinations and to take action against cheating students.

"In the past, supervisors were not allowed to do so. TPI supervisors, however, are not given such authority," he said.

Wija added that BNSP had also authorized Udayana University to scan students' answer sheets as the university already had a scanner.

"We are optimistic that the new teams would not deter students in Bali from performing at their best," he said.

Wasti Atmodjo , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar | Tue, 03/03/2009 1:47 PM | Bali

Orders for ogoh-ogoh decline

The decision by the Denpasar Grand Council of Customary Villages (MUDP) to ban ogoh-ogoh and the traditional parade ahead of the Nyepi holiday has caused a sharp drop in orders for the giant effigies.

The Denpasar chapter of the MUDP have banned ogoh-ogoh over the fear that it could give rise to violent clashes between political party supporters, since the ritual would be held during the political campaign season.

Generally, ogoh-ogoh take the form of demons and evil spirits depicted in various Hindu scriptures and Balinese folklore. A monstrous giant with menacing fangs and an intimidating pose is one of the most favorite themes among ogoh-ogoh makers on the island.

The ogoh-ogoh, escorted by groups of people carrying bamboo torches and a loud gamelan ensemble, are paraded around the night before Nyepi.

Earlier in the day, sacrificial offerings are made at homes, intersections and the city square in Denpasar. The day is known as Pengerupukan, during which Balinese try to simultaneously appease and scare away evil spirits.

Every banjar or hamlet in Bali will have one ogoh-ogoh, either making its own or commissioning someone to construct one.

Nyepi or the Day of Silence also marks the Saka Balinese Hindu year which is 1931 this year on March 26. Meanwhile, the campaigning period for the April 9 legislative elections is from March 16 to April 6.

One of the many ogoh-ogoh workshops seeing decline is Gases, owned by Wayan Candra, who has been working on ogoh-ogoh since the late 1980s at his workshop on Jl. Sesetan in Denpasar.

"There is indeed a sharp decline in ogoh-ogoh orders, unlike the previous years, after the council issued the ban," he said.

"Usually I will be overwhelmed by orders placed by banjar or individuals."

He said the number could often easily reach 75 orders from all corners of Bali, especially Denpasar.

Candra said his workshop, which employs 25 workers, also takes orders in the form of parts of ogoh-ogoh to be assembled by the customers themselves. The workshop also deals with materials to construct the effigy, especially Styrofoam.

"Despite the ban, however, there are still youths from Denpasar who are buying parts of ogoh-ogoh or the frames," he said.

"We have so far received orders from outside Denpasar such as from Kuta, Buleleng and Gianyar."

He said the price ranges from hundreds of thousands of rupiah to millions of rupiah depending on the effigy's complexity.

Ogoh-ogoh usually uses bamboo for its skeletal frames while the body parts are made of Styrofoam, painted according to a picked theme as ordered by the owners.

The effigies are no longer only adopting the butha kala (demonic ogres) but also adopt figures from animation movies or outstanding people.

Wasti Atmodjo , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar | Tue, 03/03/2009 1:47 PM | Bali

Police urge KKM members to stay calm, probe continues

Police pleaded with duped members of a cooperative to stay calm Monday, saying they were doing their best to recover the stolen money.

The Bali police held a meeting with representatives for the members of the recently shut-down Develop Karangasem Cooperative (KKM) and two suspects in the fraud case at the provincial police headquarters in Denpasar.

"So what news can we take back to the people, sir?" said Wayan Kari Subali, one of the representatives, to the police chief when the meeting was nearly over.

Bali Police chief, Insp. Gen. Teuku Ashikin Husein said police officers were still determining the exact amount of losses incurred by the members and establishing how they could claim the deposits back.

"The funds in question are still being counted," Ashikin said, obviously impatient with the question.

"It will be impossible for the members to receive 100 percent of their investment in return because the suspect still has to pay employees' salary and other overhead costs. "Don't think that this process is going to be easy."

Also attending the meeting was Karangasem Regent I Wayan Geredeg and Bali Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. I Ketut Adria.

Ashikin said police had compiled a list with around 20,000 members on it, but it was believed the total number of members could have reached 60,000.

He also said a specific time frame had not been established and police could not yet conclude what exact percentage of the deposits would be returned to members.

Jero Suteja, a representative from Kubu district, said he would announce the update of the police investigation to the district but they had hoped the process would be completed before the Hindi Galungan festivity on March 18.

"They will need a lot of money for this religious ceremony," he said.

Meanwhile, Regent Geredeg said he expected victims of the Ponzi scheme run by the cooperative to respect the legal processes so their money could be returned quickly.

"These current demonstrations concern me greatly. I ask that those involved please do not provoke the legal process," he said.

According to Beritabali.com, Geredeg's private residence became the target of an ugly demonstration Monday afternoon.

Around 400 protesters swarmed the regent's house on Jl. Samanhudi in Subagan, Karangasem, after they failed to meet with Karangasem councilors at the regency legislative council building.

The protesters vented their anger by hurling stones and burning tires at the regent's house, with police being deployed to protect the property.

Established in 2006, the KKM was shut-down by police following a raid last month. The cooperative attracted police attention after it managed to significantly multiply its capital in a short time.

The co-op promised a 150 percent interest rate return in just three months to investors interested in depositing money in the scheme.

Police have seized more than Rp 280 billion (US$23.5 million) in cash, 22 kilograms of gold and jewelry and vehicle ownership documents, bringing the total value of assets under police custody to more than Rp 310 billion.

Indah Setiawati , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar | Tue, 03/03/2009 1:47 PM | Bali

KPUD allots Rp 84m for cultural campaigns

Bali General Elections Commission (KPUD) allocated Rp 84 million (US$7,008) for organizing cultural performances and parades ahead of the April 9 legislative elections.

"We received a limited campaign budget from the KPU *General Elections Commission* but nonetheless we will organize modest cultural campaigns on polls to achieve a peaceful campaign," said Bali KPUD chairman Ketut Sukawati Lanang Perbawa.

"Various activities will be held during the open campaigning period from March 16 to April 5."

Sukawati was speaking at his office after meeting Saturday with candidates vying for seats at the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) and campaign teams of political parties.

The activities will kick off with an arts performance themed "Democracy for the people" at the Bali Arts Center in Denpasar on March 15, on the eve of the start of the open campaigning period.

The performance will see dances from Denpasar's Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI) and a number of dance troupes. The KPUD also plans to hoist the Indonesian flag followed by those of political parties.

On March 16, the KPUD will stage a joint campaign by holding a cultural parade around the Bajra Sandhi Monument in Renon, Denpasar, with participants consisting of DPD candidates and the 36 parties vying for legislative seats.

"Each political party and DPD candidate is allowed to have 50 participants at the parade," said the head of the Bali KPUD's campaign task force, Dewa Raka Sandi.

Marking the end of the campaign period, the Bali KPUD will hold two events. In the afternoon, a joint prayer will be performed at Jagatnatha Temple, followed by the symbolic laying down of campaigning paraphernalia at Puputan Badung Square.

In the evening, there will another arts performance at the Arts Center.

Raka was optimistic all the activities would go well without any security problems.

"We will involve the police and pecalang *traditional customary security guards* to safeguard the events," he said.

Bali will only use 14 days out of the 21-day open campaigning period as there will be a number of religious holidays in between. Galungan will be observed on March 17-19, Nyepi on March 25-27 and Kuningan on March 28.

Denpasar KPUD chairman I Made Gede Ray Misno said Saturday that of 35 political parties contesting in the provincial capital, 15 were absent from dissemination sessions without any clarification.

As for the individual candidates, only half of the 580 legislative candidates were present.

"We do not know why they were absent. It was really unexpected that they have very low attention, although such sessions are for their own interests," Misno said.

Dissemination division head of the Denpasar KPUD, IGA Diah Yuniti, said the polling body had given the parties and candidates space for discussions.

"We discussed various regulations and technicalities during campaigning period and voting day," she said.

"The turnout was low despite sessions being held during weekends."

Even more worrying were the sessions for the Denpasar I constituency (West and North Denpasar districts), where only 80 of 285 candidates attended such sessions. Most of those who did come arrived late.

Ni Komang Erviani and Wasti Atmodjo , THE JAKARTA POST , DENPASAR | Mon, 03/02/2009 2:18 PM | Bali

Pedophile gets 8 years in jail

The Buleleng District Court handed down Thursday an eight-year prison sentence and a fine of Rp 60 million (US$5,000) to Grenfield Philip Robert in a pedophilia case, much lighter than the 12-year sentence prosecutors had sought.

"I will appeal the verdict," Robert said after presiding judge Frida Ariani read out the verdict.

Robert appeared calm during the 30-minute reading of the verdict and sentence. He was found guilty of violating Article 82 of Law No. 23/2002 on Child Protection and Article 282 of the Criminal Code, on intentionally forcing sexual conduct against children. But after the verdict, Robert appeared shocked, in stark contrast to his mood before the hearing, when he was seen laughing in the courthouse detention room.

"No comment," Robert told reporters after the sentencing, in apparent disappointment and even refusing to shake hands with his lawyer Ketut Suartana.

**

The victims came from poor families

''

Suartana said he could not comment either because he had to consult with the rest of the legal team.

Robert's misconduct was uncovered in August 2008 after a child filed a report with the police saying that Robert had molested him.

Following the police investigation, 12 witnesses came forward, revealing 10 victims.

The victims admitted that they had been sexually harassed by Robert at his residence on Jl. Tasbi in Kaliuntu, Singaraja regency.

Robert lured the children, mostly junior high school students, with money and other material goods, then gave them alcoholic drinks mixed with sedatives, before molesting them.

The children were also promised millions of rupiah in exchange for going to bed with him. Most of the victims came from poor families.

Previous cases of pedophilia committed by foreigners here include that of Mario Mannara, sentenced to 10 months behind bars; Max de Clerco, jailed for five years; and Martial Jugler, who received a nine-year sentence.

Alit Kartaraharja , The Jakarta Post , Buleleng | Mon, 03/02/2009 2:18 PM | Bali

Be sensitive when culling, official say

Officials launching mass culls of dogs have been told to be more sensitive to avoid being viewed in a negative light by visiting overseas tourists, Denpasar Tourism Agency head Putu Budiasa said Friday.

The Denpasar Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Agency is currently raising its efforts to curb the spread of the rabies virus through the culling of stray dogs, in addition to vaccinating pet dogs and awareness-raising efforts.

"The officials conducting the culls should be more sensitive, as most foreign tourists are animal lovers," Budiasa said.

"The elimination program has to be done when there are not many people watching, or at least avoid doing it where tourists usually gather, like Sanur Beach."

He added the agency had not yet received any protests or written statements condemning the city administration's decision to cull dogs suspected of rabies.

While the culling program has been protested by animal welfare NGOs, Budiasa was the first city official to sound the alarm over the program.

Budiasa also said it was necessary to coordinate with the public or local businesspeople on when and where officials could conduct the culls without bothering tourists, and to put up signs explaining that a cull may be conducted in certain areas.

In addition to being declared as rabies-infected area, Denpasar is also suffering from bird flu, despite various efforts such as spraying markets with disinfectant.

Budiasa also urged sensitivity in the culling of strays.

"Don't drag them around over long distances in a vulgar state without covering them up, especially when there are cameras around," he said.

"That will affect reports in the media and arouse opinions of sadism and other negative opinions."

He said officials should cover dogs that were culled, immediately putting them inside the vehicles.

"The dog carcasses should not be placed in an open place, they should be covered," he said.

"How would you feel if you saw dog carcasses lying all around you? You would at least cringe or start to ask yourself questions.

"Especially if you're a guest who doesn't know why the cull is being done in the first place."

Budiasa also said he would talk to the animal husbandry and fisheries agency about the issue, quickly adding his agency supported the culling program.

"Other than that, we fully support the depopulation program. It will reduce the number of stray dogs walking the streets and the beaches," he said.

"Having too many stray dogs can be bothersome."

In response, Denpasar Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Agency head Dewa Made Ngurah said he would follow up on Budiasa's concerns.

"I'll talk about it with the rabies task force coordinators," Ngurah said.

He reiterated the task force had always talked to locals before conducting the elimination program, adding the task force would continue to prioritize requests for dog eliminations from these locals.

Earlier, head of the Bali Animal Husbandry Agency, IB Ketut Alit has said the culls were just one effort in addition to awareness-raising and vaccination, adding his office had received many complaints from abroad.

"*Foreigners* do not understand there are so many stray dogs roaming Bali. Many owners also do not take proper care of their dogs."

Wasti Atmodjo , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar | Mon, 03/02/2009 2:18 PM | Bali

Govt told to revise regulations

DENPASAR: The newly elected chairman of the Bali Tourism Board, IB Ngurah Wijaya, said Sunday the government should support the tourism industry by revising a number of regulations to reach the target of 4 million visitors in 2010.

"There are so many regulations hindering tourism because tourism is not an independent sector," he was quoted as saying by Antara news service.

"One example is in customs and excise regulations requiring cruise ships to deposit some amount of funds before entering Indonesia."

Wijaya said cruise ship visits would be the mainstay of tourists visiting Bali in the years to come, therefore cooperation between related agencies was much needed.

"We have suggested that the quality of ports and services by the immigration, customs and excise and quarantine agencies - JP

Mon, 03/02/2009 2:18 PM | Bali

Bali's creative industry yet to use technology

DENPASAR: Bali's creative industry might be the most developed in Indonesia, but still lags behind those of countries such as China, France and Singapore for not yet applying modern technology.

"Our creative industry is peanuts because it still relies on cultural arts and crafts," A. Deni Daruri, president director of the Center for Banking Crisis, said Saturday.

"The creative industry here has yet to create spectacular works based on modern technology."

Deni, as reported by Antara news agency, said the development of an industry based on creativity should be supported by skilled human resources, advanced technology and capital, in addition to socio-cultural factors.

He pointed out China, which he said had managed to stage spectacular shows in the air using advanced technology such as those showcased at the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Deni was speaking at a national seminar on banking policy to improve creative university, organized by Udayana University's Student Body. - JP

Mon, 03/02/2009 2:18 PM | Bali