Ir. Made Mandra, M.Sc:
Culture as Bali’s Brand Image

As a tourism destination, Bali owns a global ‘brand image’ by its culture. The uniqueness of culture makes Bali is become famous and as tourism first-rate. “So, do not annihilate Bali by any deviated ideas about culture,” said Ir. Made Mandra, MSc to Bali Travel News in the middle of his business preparing Nusa Dua Festival (NDF).
According the man who was born in Gianyar on 8 April 1950, the entrepreneur’s inclination to change Bali become ‘a casino land’ was only as a temporarily scheme. The tourists will avoid Bali if the idea legalized because it will change also the image of people who come to Bali. For this reason, the NDF idea arises to lift the Balinese culture to the world. “Through NDF, we will try for prospect that Bali will transform into a convention center for buyers and sellers of entertainment and cultural entrepreneur,” he said again.
Made Mandra is positively convinced, the scheme for creating NDF as ‘World Cultural Market’ is just waiting for exact time. Lately, the tourism situation of Bali is being buried, however this father of two children certainly confident that the cultural tourism concept is the ‘brand image’ of Bali that should defended for sure. “Hopefully, this NDF will succeed with its participation of all sides, including the foreigner who unafraid to come to Bali because of the recent bomb-blast in JW. Marriot hotel,” he optimistically said about the NDF accomplishment.
Before site for the top carrier as Managing Director PT BTDC (Bali Tourism Development Corporation), this husband of Wiwiek Eryani started his carrier as a project worker in 1977. At that time, BTDC location area that is presently sited by tens of luxurious star hotels was just an empty land. Latter on in 1986, Mandra entrusted as Public Relation Head. In 1992 as Chief Operational Division of PT BTDC, and on 2001, exactly on 16th of March, he entrusted as the Managing Director of BTDC. At present, within Mandra’s hands, Nusa Dua resort situation is determined.
As a tourism resort organizer, he creatively executes many events such as the NDF. Although the tourism condition is unstable yet, his side will keep executing this event because it is a commitment and promotion medium to put Bali and Indonesian culture as well into the global international market. For that, NDF 2003 not only performs Balinese arts and culture activities, but involves other artists from 30 provinces/regencies of entire Indonesia. “Confidently, the world realizes that through NDF, the arts and cultural activities keep circling in Bali,” said the accreditation winner of ‘Satya Lencana Wira Satya’ from President of Republic Indonesia in 1998. (BTN/013)