Tri Hita Karana and Tourism in Bali (5)
Sosialization and Law Enforcement

Tri Hita Karana (THK) has since 1969 played a key role in the philosophical reconstruction of Bali’s cultural tourism development and today all regencies and municipalities in Bali have taken THK as the basis of their Propeda (Regional Development Program) and Renstra (Strategic Plan). Nevertheless, there has been no publicity yet to bring the programs to the general public forum.
Evidence has shown that most tourism activists in Bali have said that they found out about the existence of THK as the philosophical ground for Bali’s reconstruction following their participation in the THK Awards & Accreditations event. This event has informed them that THK has been valid as philosophical basis of the reconstruction of Bali as Perda Regional Regulations No. 4/1996 or ‘RUTRW’ The General Plan of Regional Space Systematization for the Province of Bali.
Bureaucratic procedures alone have evidently not been sufficient to realize the purpose of THK. Such a task needs the involvement of all the community including tourism activists. By involving everyone in the drive to let people know about the role of THK, it will be more intensive and effective in disseminating the good perception of ‘Perda’ regulations down to grassroots level.
Legislators, on the other hand, would ultimately facilitate rationalization of their function of control both in relations with executive people and men having power at hand. Regarding the implementation of THK in managing tourism business, law enforcement has become an absolute prerequisite in securing consistency and continuity. In this way, it will be possible to take preventative action against violations or to minimize violations such as ‘tricks’ played by certain quarters of businessmen and policy makers , e.g. regarding the issue of licences.
Tourism activists have really responded very positively in passing through three periods of executions of the THK Awards & Accreditations with increasing participation by social sectors. The competition has been by voluntary without any oppression exerted by any people. Participants have increased from 66 hotels in the first year (2000) to 77 hotels in the second (2001), and 88 hotel participants in the third year (2002).
Look what is happening in the fourth year of 2003. Even though the industry is in a critical condition following Bali’s Bomb Tragedy, the number of participants in the fourth contest, according to estimation, will be more than 100 hotels. Ahead of the formal registration of the participants this year, representatives of 48 tourist attractions and recreational parks belonging to ‘PUTRI’, Bali’s Association of Indonesian Tourist Objects, have claimed their readiness for accreditations and competitions.
The number of registered participants has in effect been relatively small compared to the total number of 1.200 hotels operating in this province (vide data of Tourism Office of Bali’s Province of 2002). Nevertheless, we are happy to see the biggest increase has been the exceptional growth of participants coming from chains of star-hotels, which generally own wide market networks with very solid management.
Participants of 4, 5, and 5-plus star-hotels in 2000 were only 16, while in 2002 there were 32 hotels coming into the contest – an increase of 100 %. At present, there have been 27 5 and 5-plus star hotels in Bali recorded, of which 18 (67 %) have been loyal participants of the THK Awards & Accreditations.
The word ‘loyal’ contains a meaning not only refering to aspects of consistency and participation in competition, but is even more concerned with the spirit in which the implementation of THK in the sphere of daily hotel business management is stressed. A concrete example is the intensely consistent achievement realized in key performance area (KPA) by star hotels of 4, 5, and 5 plus, including boutique hotels. KPA measurement applied in THK competiton and accreditations among hotels includes three points as follows:
Conditional ownership of a descent prayer site (temple) within aspect of ‘parhyangan’
‘Pawongan’ – the recruitment of employees consisting of a minimum of 85% Balinese
Ownership of well-operating ‘IPAL’ sewerage processing instalIations is a prerequisite for 3, 4, 5 and 5 plus star hotels, including boutique hotels, considered from the aspect of ‘palemahan’, while two and one star hotels and ‘melati’ hotels/tourism cottages may have only a septic tank on the condition that they should conform to healthy environment standards and requirements. By Berata Asrama, The Chairman of THK Awards & Accreditations