Three Achievers of ”Bali Travel News” Medals

Every year, Bali Travel News presents awards to Public Relations (PR) of hospitality and hotelier industry in Bali. Presentation of such awards and fastening off the medal for PR with outstanding achievement was performed concurrently with Presentation Night of Tri Hita Karana (THK) Tourism Awards, last Thursday (15/12). For this year, the awards went to Ketut Elly Kusuma Widiastuti (Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel), Eddy Soetjahyo (Bali Tropic Resort & Spa) and Ruth Zulkerman (Conrad Bali Resort & Spa).

Ketut Elly Kusuma Widiastuti, S.H. : Gold Medal
Discovery Kartika Plaza feels proud to have Public Relation Manager as Ketut Elly Kusuma Widiastuti, SH. This woman who has lovely looks, on Thursday (15/12) achieved Gold Medal of Sympathetic PR 2005. As a career woman, she has a background of education at Faculty of Law, Atmajaya University, Yogyakarta with cum laude predicate (1993-1997) and Certificate IV in Public Relation from Martin College Darlinghurst, Sydney-Australia (May 1999).
On being asked her comment after becoming the first winner, replied: “Becoming a winner of Sympathetic PR 2005 is an appreciation for me. All participants are excellent and have good talent to become a PR that represent their own hotel and talk about Tri Hita Karana as one of important ‘philosophy’ in improving the tourism of Bali.”
Prior to becoming PR Manager at Discovery Kartika Plaza Kuta, Elly as she is familiarly called, made a start on her career as Consultant at Adhi Jaya Hotel (December 2003-January 2004), Marketing and Communication Manager at Waterbom Park Bali (September 2000-December 2003), Public Relation Manager of Sheraton Surabaya Hotel & Towers (February 2004-March 2005). Girl who has become PR for nine months at Discovery Kartika Plaza, apart from the profession as PR, she once was Sales Executive for a year at Waterbom Park & Spa. Due to her diligence as PR up to these days, it’s not mistaken if Bali Travel News selected Elly Widiastuti the achiever of Gold Medal 2005.

Drs. Eddy Soetjahyo is Communication Manager of Bali Tropic Resort & Spa. He accomplished the ‘Silver Medal’ on the selection of Sympathetic PR 2004 of Bali Travel News version. Alumnus of Udayana University, Denpasar (1982-1988) and Master Degree at Washington International University in cooperation with Institute Business Management Global, Jakarta (1998-1999) indeed has smart and smiley appearance.
To Bali Travel News, the man who is better known with his intimate call Andi uttered his comment on the presentation of “Silver Medal” of Sympathetic PR 2005: “I am surprised and happy with this award. I don’t think I can accomplish such an award as my attention is focused on THK Awards in which the hotel where I work has just first participated after making preparation for two years and I am involved as its coordinator.”
“I thank God and am grateful to Bali Travel News and THK Awards team for their confidence in delivering the silver medal to me personally and Bali Tropic Resort & Spa as the holder of Bronze Medal of THK Awards for boutique hotel category,” explained Andi.
Andi who was born in Surabaya has initiated his career as staff at Bank Rakyat Indonesia at Denpasar branch office (Apr 1989-May 1991), Promotion Staff at Plaza Bali Duty Free Shop (Sep 1991-Apr 1992), F&B Sales Executive at Shangri-la Bali Dynasty Resort (Apr 1992-July 1992), Entertainment Manager at Galleria Nusa Dua Shopping & Entertainment Centre (Aug 1992-Nov 1993), Entertainment & Guest Activities Manager at Club Mirage Bali, All Inclusive (Oct 1994-July 1997), Entertainment & Guest Activities Manager at Bali Tropic Resort & Spa (Aug 1997-Apr 2002) and from Apr 2002 up to now as Communications Manager at Bali Tropic Resort & Spa. “Hopefully, the award presented can motivate us in improving our achievement and prestige in carrying out the tasks,” he said.

Ruth Zukerman : Bronze Medal
Ruth Zukerman is the only expatriate participant in the competition of Sympathetic PR 2005. This Australian woman is noted as Director of Public Relations of Conrad Bali Resort & Spa. “I am extremely happy with my participation in the selection of Sympathetic PR because I greatly support the program like this,” she said to Bali Travel News.
Ruth commenced her career as Director of Sales at International Travel and Incentive Service, Hyatt Hotels Corporation Washington DC and San Francisco CA (1980-1984); Regional Director of Sales and Marketing-Travel Industry and Incentive Sales, Intercontinental Hotels, West Coast, USA (1984-1988); Regional Director of Sales Australia/NZ, Four Seasons–Regent Hotels & Resorts (1989-1996); General Manager-Australia / NZ, American & Caribbean Tourism Information Service (1997-1998); Director of Sales & Marketing, Beaufort Singapore (1999-2000); Director of International Sales, Marriott Australia (2000); Director of International Sales, Marriott Resorts Thailand Royal Garden Resorts (2001-2002); Consultant Australia Conrad Hotel (2002); Director of Sales & Marketing Conrad Bali Resort & Spa (2003-2004); Director of Public Relations Conrad Bali Resort & Spa (2005-now). With such job experiences, it’s Bali Travel News selected Ruth as the achiever of the Bronze Medal for Sympathetic PR”s 2005.(BTN/Para)

Ida Bagus Gede Wiyana
Realizing Interfaith Concordance

One of the figures that actively plays role in creating such concordance is Ida Bagus Gede Wiyana. As Chairman of Interfaith Communication Forum of Bali Province, he never gets bored to deliver ‘enlightenment’ to members of religious community in Bali, particularly those of Hindu. This father of two sons—Ida Bagus Erwin Ranawijaya, SH, MA and Ida Bagus Bayu Brahmandya, SH—should make a visit to every nook and cranny delivering ‘dharma wacana’ or Hindu sermon on the importance of life concordance even though of different religions.
Other than that, the husband of Ida Ayu Ratna Wesnawati should be able to accomplish some issues pertaining to interfaith concordance. For instance, resolving problems on house of worship, graveyard and making decision should there be any holidays of two or more religions falls on the same day. Once, the Nyepi (Silence) Day fell on the same day as Friday prayer. Nyepi requires silence and is not allowed devotees to go out, while the Moslem should go out to pay homage to mosque. Just as Nyepi that coincided with church service on Sunday.
Though he is busy with managing the Dwijendra Education Foundation that organizes schools from kindergarten up to university, this man of Sanur-born (1 August 1951) never declines when being asked for his time to deliver enlightenment. Moreover, after the Bali Bomb I and II he progressively often appeared on television.
According to him, the Interfaith Communication Forum was established on the accord of the caretakers of Religious Assembly existing in Bali like Parisadha (Hindu), MUI (Islam), Walubi (Buddha), MPAG (Protestant Christian) and Keuskupan (Catholic Christian). The idea was sparked by the general election 1999. “The five religious assemblies felt there has been ‘violence’ in the reason of struggling for each religion. Mass savagery occurs everywhere,” he said.
“However,” he added,” the beginnings of the establishment of the forum has existed since 1970s.” At that time, forum that has not formally founded many a time executed discussion relating to location of graveyard, house of worship, interfaith marriage and so forth. “Regional Office of Religious Affairs became its facilitator then,” he added. (BTN/015)