The PATA Bali Recovery Task Force
“Recovery Penetration”

The effects of the October 12th terrorist attacks on the people of Bali and Indonesia are causing an unprecedented downturn in business, especially the tourism business aspect. The tourism industry obviously is devastated. Inbound air capacity has been slashed, businesses have closed, and many Balinese have found themselves unemployed. Thus, Bali’s mystical and paradise image has been shattered by this horrific tragedy and the island co-branded with the rest of Indonesia – as a risky destination. These events are surely absorbed by tourism agencies and world attention.

Asuccession of “Avoid travel to Bali/Indonesia” travel advisories were issued by governments all over the world, and long-haul arrivals plunged 80 percent. The Japanese government eventually downgraded its travel advisory whilst the governments of the Netherlands (in consultation with the Dutch travel industry) and Spain removed theirs. Many other governments maintained their advisories and these form the bulk of the key source markets for visitors to Bali and Indonesia.
Travel producers wishing to sell Bali are often constrained by their government’s regulations, which advise against travel into an area of perceived high risk. A substantial number of travel producers and travelers remain confident about operating and traveling to Bali, a number that could be dramatically boosted when confidence in Bali’s safety and security infrastructure takes root.
Several actions were executed to overcome this situation, such as SQ’s (Singapore Airlines) Enchanting Bali program generated substantial traffic, which is inviting overseas press and media to Bali to sell and promote Bali to the world. Another crucial action was implemented by PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) of forming a Bali Recovery Task Force, as a group’s contribution of volunteer tourism professionals to achieve its core aim, which is sustainable development of tourism to, from, and within the Pacific Asia Region. The PATA Bali Recovery Task Force strongly recommends a unified approach that collectively promotes the mystical charms of Bali with the huge diversity in the rest of Indonesia. It should also provide breathing space for Bali to sometimes be promoted as the jewel in the Indonesian tourism crown.
During December 2002, the members of this task force traveled to Bali to hold discussions and dialogue with a wide cross-section of tourism industry representatives, and to formulate a coordinated assessment of how the tourism industry could best be stimulated in the short and medium term.
At BICC (Bali International Convention Center) Nusa Dua on last Saturday (13/9), the PATA Task Force Gathering was executed. The concerns of PATA applied in several recommendations of the task force as follows:

1. Bring all disparate elements together to follow the same agenda;
   
2. Create an environment for careful planning within which issues of safety and security are ad dressed and, if necessary, become enforceable by law;
   
3. The government of Bali should establish, in coordination with the national government, an Integrated Crisis Plan in which guidelines and procedures for crisis communications are included;
   
4. Recognize the importance of the aviation sector and work more closely with it, understanding its own specific needs and wants;
   
5. Rebuild destination brand through private /public/consumer sectors and with a dedicated Destination Maker;
   
6. Comprehensively broaden the Bali Brand to encompass culture and heritage;
   
7. Innovatively introduce the Bali Brand to contemporary market platforms and;
   
8. Increase brand awareness through partnership marketing.

The mechanism of this PATA Bali Recovery Task Force was charged with giving practical advice based on expert opinion and local knowledge on how Bali could accelerate the healing process and move the tourism sector onto a path of recovery. History has shown that when stability returns, tourism in a destination can and does reach a level of growth, and of course given time and a strong commitment from both the public and private sectors of the industry. So, this task force may able to accelerate the growth process, bringing employment and prosperity back to the island and the people of Bali especially. (BTN/037)

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