Bali Government to cut tourism promotion budget

Bali Government to cut tourism promotion budget, can Bali handle it . . . with small budget to reduce tourist visit Bali. The promotion of Bali’s tourist attractions will not be as wide and intensive as last year, since the provincial administration cut the budget due to prioritizing other programs. The budget has been slashed by more than half from Rp 2.3 billion (US$240,000) last year to only Rp 1.1 billion this year, the Tourism Agency’s head of marketing division Nyoman Wardawan said on Tuesday.

Last year’s budget also decreased from 2011, which was Rp 2.5 billion. “We proposed a higher budget, but not all the programs listed in our proposal could be approved, because the provincial administration has other more urgent matters,” Nyoman said.


He said a huge share of the provincial budget this year would be allocated to the gubernatorial election, as well as other more pressing matters like poverty eradication and infrastructure Property development.

“With this slashed budget, we have no other choice than to use it as efficiently as possible.”

The promotional activities should be conducted effectively because competition with other destinations has become tougher, including with new and emerging destinations in Asia, he said.

“Although this year’s budget is not as high as last year’s, we will continue to carry out various promotional programs, mainly by joining tourism-related events and exhibitions in Indonesia and abroad.”

“With a budget of only Rp 1.1 billion, we can only join two events abroad: The ITB Berlin in March and Festival Indonesia in Melbourne in September.”

Every year, the agency and the island’s tourism stakeholders carry out five models of promotional activity, mainly participating in a series of tourism-related exhibitions in other provinces and worldwide.

Last year, the biggest expos, ITB Berlin, held in March, and World Travel Market in London, held in November, were on the agenda. The agency also organized trips to five countries: Japan, the UK, the Philippines, Germany and Australia, to promote the island.

Additionally, they also promoted Bali attractions during Festival Indonesia in Melbourne, and the PATA Travel Mart and JATA Tourism Forum in September. The events are chosen based on analysis of potential tourist markets.

The agency also cooperates with the Tourism Ministry’s representative offices in several major countries to promote the island’s attractions through brochures and events.

Other regular promotional activities are through the agency’s website www.tourism.baliprov.go.id, articles in several printed media, as well as sales missions and familiarization trips when journalists from other countries are invited
to visit Bali.

Bali Government to cut tourism promotion budget : Sources :
http://www.thejakartapost.com/bali-daily/2013-01-09/bali-cut-tourism-promotion-budget.html