Bali Urged to Clean up Prior to APEC Summit

The central government is urging the provincial administration to improve and create a clean tourist destination as part of the preparations prior to hosting the international APEC Summit in October.

"Bali is the window to Indonesia. All stakeholders, including the administration, businesses and society, are responsible for improving its cleanliness," said secretary general of the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry, Ukus Kuswara.

Ukus acknowledged that sanitation issues had constantly received attention from the international public. As Kuta Beach is one of the most famous tourist spots on the island, the Bali Bersih movement was also launched in the area a couple of months ago. Especially during the West monsoon, Kuta Beach is often flooded with garbage.
Read more: Bali Urged to Clean up Prior to APEC Summit

Investors Look Beyond Southern Bali

Following the policy to temporarily halt the development of tourist facilities in southern Bali, investments are now believed to be shifting to other parts of the island, an official confirmed.

Suta Astawa, head of research and development at the Bali Investment Board, shared with Bali Daily on Monday that there was clear effort witnessed to spread development to the west, east, and north Bali.

"Investment in tourism is expected to spread to places outside southern Bali and we are now seeing this trend. The regional administrations have to be aware of this current development and be ready to come up with strategic marketing and promotion," Astawa said.
Read more: Investors Look Beyond Southern Bali

Government supports Bali's Road Project

Bali will secure financial support from the central government to build a road connecting south Bali and the north part of the island. Deputy Governor Anak Agung Puspayoga recently said the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) had agreed to provide Rp 1.7 trillion (US$175.6 million) to partly finance the project.

"We have had a meeting with Bappenas officials, during which they agreed to finance the project for Rp 1.7 trillion and required the Bali administration to also provide at least Rp 170 billion," Puspayoga said. He said the road connecting south and north Bali, which is scheduled to be built by 2015, would be a shortcut from Denpasar to Buleleng as it would cut the travel time by a half.
Read more: Government supports Bali's Road Project

Property Business in Bali Still Attracts Investors

Thanks to the increasing number of tourists and ongoing infrastructure improvement, the property business in Bali continues to flourish as investors are confident about the island's business climate. Most of the investors are focusing on developing hotels, condotels (joint condominiums and hotels) and private villas.

Gede Semadi Putra from the property committee of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce in Bali (Kadin Bali) said Thursday that land demand for hotels, villas and condotels was booming, but the supply of land was decreasing.
Read more: Property Business in Bali Still Attracts Investors

Management of Tourist Spots Criticized

Tourist destinations in several regencies in Bali need to be developed and managed properly to remain attractive to both domestic and international visitors, a tourism expert has said.

Agung Suryawan Wiranatha, head of the University of Udayana’s Tourism Study and Research Center, spoke with Bali Daily on Monday and said that many beautiful spots and tourist attractions were now dilapidated.
Read more: Management of Tourist Spots Criticized

Bali's Second Airport Will Be Built in Buleleng

Bali's second airport is announced to be built in Kubutambahan in Buleleng, follows lengthy speculation since the plan for a second airport in the northern Buleleng regency was first announced by then Tourism Minister Jero Wacik in 2010.

The new airport is intended to both spread development to the neglected north and east of Bali, and to relieve pressure on the island's crowded south.
Read more: Bali's Second Airport Will Be Built in Buleleng