Bali hotels fully booked, Garuda puts on extra flights

Bali hotels fully booked, Garuda puts on extra flights

Rita A. Widiadana
The Jakarta Post,
Kuta, Bali

The holiday season has brought new hope to Bali's ailing tourist
industry, as thousands of domestic and foreign visitors have
again booked flights, hotels and bungalows to celebrate the
coming year-end festivities.

General manager of Garuda Indonesia's Bali office Kriston
Rasmanto shared his joy at flight bookings, saying, "We have
increased the number of flights on the Jakarta to Denpasar and
Surabaya to Denpasar routes."

Between Christmas and New Year, Garuda will have six to seven
regular daily flights, plus one or two extra from Jakarta to
Denpasar.

"On several flights we have upgraded a DC-10 airplane to a
Boeing 747 in order to accommodate more passengers," he said. The
DC-10 has 247 seats, while the Boeing 747 is able to accommodate
405 passengers, he added.

Garuda's international flights on the routes London (UK) to
Denpasar, Nagoya (Japan) to Denpasar, Osaka (Japan) to Denpasar
and Seoul (South Korea) to Denpasar have experienced significant
increases in demand during the winter holiday. "At least 70
percent of our seat capacity is occupied," Kriston said
buoyantly.

After the Bali bombing, which occurred at the heart of the
tourist center of Legian, Kuta, on Oct. 12 this year, the
island's tourist industry experienced a drastic downturn.

A number of countries, including the U.S., Australia and
several European countries, issued travel advisories for citizens
planning to travel to Indonesia in general and Bali in
particular. Bali was deserted as thousands of visitors fled
following the bombing. Hotel occupancy rates reached their lowest
ebb, plunging to single digits.

Chairman of the Bali Chapter of the Association of Indonesian
Tour and Travel Agencies (Asita) I Putu Bagus Yudhara added that
the arrival of both local and foreign tourists had provided a
boost to Bali's tourism.

"Previously, we felt so downhearted about the state of tourism
in Bali, but this is a good sign. Tourists are returning, as a
number of countries, such as Germany and South Korea, have
rescinded their travel advisories on Bali and Indonesia," Yudhara
said.

Meanwhile, large and small hotels alike have also experienced
a holiday windfall.

Anastasia Lijadi, public relations manager of Gran Melia hotel
at Nusa Dua, explained that since Oct.14, almost all hotels had
been badly hit by the aftermath of the bombing.

"At present, we are enjoying 70 percent to 80 percent
occupancy rates, which is very good for this time of year," noted
Anastasia. Many hotel guests are from Asian countries, such as
Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and Taiwan, plus guests from
Indonesia. Around 50 percent of guests are also coming from
European countries, including Spain and France, which have not
issued warnings against travel to Indonesia.

In Jimbaran, some five kilometers from Kuta, occupancy rates
at luxury hotels like Bali Inter-Continental Resort and the
exclusive Four Seasons hotel are encouraging.

Business development manager of Bali Inter-Continental Wayan
Suka sounded happy that his hotel's 425 rooms were fully booked,
especially for the last four days of 2002. "I hope that business
will improve in the coming year," he said.

Public relations manager of Four Seasons Putu Indrawati added
the hotel would have a New Year occupancy rate of 60 percent,
which, for an exclusive property like that, was quite amazing. "I
thought that nobody would again come to Bali," she said.

Even at a luxury resort in a relatively remote area, like Le
Meridien Bali Nirwana resort, Tanah Lot, Tabanan, some 25
kilometers from Kuta, business has begun to grow again. "We
hosted a number of New Year programs, such as Bali for the World
television program," said public relations manager of Le Meriden
Ari Widaningsih.

A number of non-star-rated hotels, such as Bakung Beach hotel
in Jl. Bakungsari, Kuta, are also enjoying robust business.
"Until Jan. 7, our rooms, rated at Rp 275,000 (US$30) per day,
will be occupied," said a member of the reception staff.

At present, a previously quiet Bali is again beaming in
anticipation. Hundreds of people crowded the once-deserted Jl.
Legian. Some are busy buying souvenirs, while others are eager to
visit the bombsites, formerly occupied by Sari Club and Paddy's.