Hotels won't change names

Hotels won't change names

DENPASAR, Bali: Many owners and operators of hotels and inns in Bali are objecting to the government call that they drop foreign names in favor of names using the Indonesian language, chiefly on the basis that the changeover would be very expensive.

Tommy Raka, the chairman of the local branch of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants, said changing the names would entail high costs because most of the hotels concerned had already produced promotional material and stationery with their names printed on them.

Tommy said hotel owners and operators needed time before they would be able to abide by the government's appeal, Antara reported.

Bali Governor Ida Bagus Oka, when asked to comment on the objection, said it was totally groundless. "Don't use cost as an excuse. Let's all show our good intentions and show that we love our own language," he told the news agency. (emb)