Bali Tourist Promotion Board, wherefore art thou?

National tourism leaders are asking why Bali has failed to establish a Regional Tourism Promotion Board (BPPD), despite the advanced state of development of  Bali tourism and the requirement by law f

National tourism leaders are asking why Bali has failed to establish a Regional Tourism Promotion Board (BPPD), despite the advanced state of development of  Bali tourism and the requirement by law for the island to create a BPPD.

Bisnis.com quotes Ngurah Wijaya, the chairman of the Bali Chapter of Indonesian Association on Tourism (GIPI) as said on Sunday, May 13, 2012: “The reality of the situation is like that, Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika has yet to decide the names of those proposed to sit on the board of BPPD-Bali. So, there’s been no inauguration.”

Ngurah said the names proposed to sit on the BPPD Bali have been handed to the governor of Bali, including the travel agent and hotelier I Wayan Sudibya; the hotelier Cok Ace who will soon retire as the regent of Gianyar; and his own name in his capacity as the chairman of GIPI and the chairman of Bali village.

Ngurah said the failure of Bali to form a BPPD was a topic of discussion at a meeting held last week by the Indonesian Tourism Promotion Board (BPPI) at the Ministry of Tourism and the Creative Economy in Jakarta.

To the GIPI Chairman’s view is that while the tourism mindset is perhaps more advanced in Bali, it remains a mystery why the provincial government of Bali has failed to keep pace with other provinces by establishing a BPPD as mandates by the tourism law of 2009.

While Bali tourism traces its roots back decades, to times far earlier than the development of tourism in neighboring areas, such as West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). At the same time, Bali has failed to match NTB by setting up its own BPPD, despite such an organization now established and operatiing in NTB. 

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