'Purified' Bali looks ahead to recovery

'Purified' Bali looks ahead to recovery

Damaso Reyes, Contributor, Jimbaran, Bali

The ritual purification on Friday has marked new ground for
Bali to recover, putting the deadly blast behind it.

Despite President Megawati Soekarnoputri's absence from the
elaborate ceremony, the mood and determination of all parties
concerned about Bali's restoration were evident.

The Bali Tourism Board along with the Office of the State
Minister of Culture and Tourism as well as the private sector
have come together in an effort to create a new brand identity
for Bali in the wake of the Oct. 12 terrorist attack which has
scarred the islands reputation as a safe holiday destination.

The result is a print and television campaign: "Bali: Get into
it".

"We in Bali will never surrender to the terrorists," declared
Minister of Tourism and Culture I Gede Ardika at the press
conference to announce the effort. "Yes, they have been able to
destroy buildings, shops and cars but they will never destroy the
spirit of Bali."

The rebranding comes in the wake of a precipitous drop in
tourist arrivals to what was once Asia's most popular vacation
destination. Worst case scenarios predict that hundreds of
thousands of Balinese who depend on the tourism sector could lose
their livelihood.

"We have purified our island. We have made it secure," said
Putu Antara, chairman of the Bali Tourism Board. "Now it is time
to help those who depend on the tourist industry," he added.

Since the purification ceremony on Friday, there has been much
talk of looking to the future, one that appears increasingly
uncertain after several nations have issued travel advisories
suggesting non-essential visits to Indonesia and Bali be avoided
in the wake of the bomb attacks.

The attack led to a 75 percent drop in holidaymakers to the
island, and is likely to force Indonesia to lower its economic
growth target of four percent this year.

In additional to a new logo and catch phrase, a slick new
television commercial has been created. Due to the lack of funds
it will only be shown on a pro bono basis by local television
stations. It is difficult to say if the message will be heard by
foreign tourists already inundated by advertising campaigns of
other Southeast Asian nations which outspend Indonesia.

Also on the agenda is a possible change in the current visa
free facility that Indonesia grants most foreigners which gives
them a free short stay visa on arrival without applying for a
visa at an embassy or consulate. Minister Ardika stressed that
the discussions within the government were ongoing and that no
decision had been made. If and when a change would be made he
said that it would take at least six months to implement.

Ardika said the current discussion would be to change the
current system into one in which nations would fall into three
categories.

The first category groups nations that would still enjoy the
visa free facility. Those would most likely be nations which
already offer Indonesian citizens a reciprocal facility on
arrival. The second would be a group of nations where tourists
would have to pay for a visa on arrival. The third would be
nations whose citizens would have to apply and be granted visas
before arrival.

Observers say if foreign nationals are forced to pay or apply
for visas it could hurt the faltering tourism sector of which
budget travelers or backpackers make up a significant percentage.
These are the visitors most likely to still come despite travel
advisories but are more sensitive to price increases and
difficulties in processing visas.