Mr. Pierre BerClaz
The Immutable Culture of Bali

Bali is fantastic, the people in Bali is magic and Bali is a really unique island in the world,” that’s the expression of amazement of Mr. Pierre Berclaz about Bali.
Mr. Pierre has just been entrusted General Manager of The Oberoi Bali. The resort that situated at the fringe of Seminyak Beach is known as exotic resort adopting the atmosphere of house compound in Bali. Amongst the 75 villas it have, 15 of them are Luxury Villas that equipped with private pool and 60 others are Luxury Lanai. The hotel is supported by a variety of facilities to pamper the tourist needs that is on holiday and staying at The Oberoi. Some of them are Health Spa where guests can indulge in themselves with several wellness treatments; Frangipani Café occuring on the beach side is the right and lovely place to just drink coffee and amphitheatre of 15 ares where various kinds of Balinese dances and other cultural performances staged as entertainment presented to tourists who are enjoying their dinner.
To Pierre, the memorable things in Bali are the hospitality of its community, cultural atmosphere and religious activity that constitute appealing attraction for those who would like to spend their holiday to Bali. “These should be intensely maintained as we could not find them anywhere around this globe. Similarly, these are immutable assets belonging to Bali. Hopefully, the community of Bali will always maintain and improve these assets, apart from carrying out enhancement on the quality and service of all components of tourism industry,” he expected.
The Swiss-born man has abundant experiences in managing several world-class hotels and resort like in Switzerland, Middle East and Far East. With the educational background as undergraduate degree holder in economics from a university in Frisbourg, Switzerland; hotel diploma from Lausanne and MBA from Oxford University majoring in hospitality industry; extensive working experience at several hotels including the Mandarin Singapore, The Mirador Kempinsky, Mont Pelerin and The Lusanne Palace & Spa in Switzerland that constituting one of the members of The Leading Hotels of the World and hotel that is known as American Colony Hotel at Jerusalem make Pierre immensely familiar in this hospitality industry. (BTN/014)

Maestro ”Sarode” from India

Dr. Tom Hunter was initiated into the practice of North Indian (Hindustani) Classical Music by famed Maestro, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, at his collage of music in San Rafael, California. He began his formal study in 1970 with a five-year intensive study of the sarode, a stringed instrument made famous by Maestro khan and by his late father, Ustad Allaudhin Khan, who was the founder of an extensive musical heritage based on the teaching of the Seniya tradition of Hindustani music.
He also undertook extensive training in the dhrupad and khyal traditions of Hindustani vocal music with Maestro Khan, and in 1975-76 augmented his knowledge of the complex rhythmic cycles of Hindustani music though study with tabla virtuoso, Ustad Zakir Hussain. In the years that followed he went on with his daily musical practice (riaz) and frequently returned to the Ali Akhbar College to continue his efforts to imbibe the tradition of composition and training (talim) that has taken a unique and extraordinary form in the hands of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, his family and his disciples.
From 1986 through 2001 Dr, Hunter made his home on the island of Bali where he continued his practice of Hindustani music, finding it the perfect complement to his scholarly studies in the ancient languages and literatures of India, Java and Bali. In 2002 Dr. Hunter and his family transferred to Jaipur, the capital of the desert state of Rajasthan where they were able to experience first-hand the wonderful variety of classical, folk and popular idioms of the Indian performing arts, and to observe the close similarities in spirit between the temple arts of India and bali. Ustad Ali Akbar Khan insists that his students approach music as a “Fifth Veda”, which is capable of carrying lovers of music to a higher plane of understanding, and can ideally be an art form that transcends the barriers of nationality, ethnic and religious differences. This is the greatest legacy of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, and one which continues to inspire his students to aspire to the unity of sound and soul that is the true spirit of the Indian musical tradition. (BTN/*/Para)

Mr. Eric Guilbert Executive Chef - The Oberoi, Lombok

Oberoi Resort Indonesia is pleased to announce the appointment of Eric Guilbert as Executive Chef of The Oberoi, Lombok after a distinguished career as Executive Chef and Chef of The Lido Restaurant, 1 Star Michelin, Hotel Las Dunas, Marbella, Spain. Eric Guilbert is no stranger to the region as he had been stayed in Jakarta and working at The Park Lane Jakarta for 2 years.
Eric’s career has spanned a variety of eminent hotels and restaurants including as Head Chef of The admiralty Restaurant in London and Chief Instructor of Le Cordon Bleu – Sookmyung Academy, Seoul, Korea.
The Oberoi, Lombok, owned by PT. Waka Oberoi Indonesia, follows the successful precedent set by The Oberoi, Bali. The village style resort, on Medana Beach, 45 minutes drive north west of Mataram Airport, has 20 Villas (255sqm), most with private swimming pool and 30 Pavilion (90sqm). It is set within 24 acres, focusing on an extensive Health Spa featuring indigenous health and relaxation treatments and a PADI qualified Dive Centre for scuba diving, boat trips and other popular ocean sports. Facilities include two restaurants, and open air amphitheatre for cultural performances and a cocktail bar. There is a meeting room seating up to 20 persons for Board Meetings and Executive Retreats.
(BTN/*)

Dewa Made Beratha : Security is the Key to Tourism

Tourism people are proved persevering to struggle for the tourism development of Bali. They have played a role as a servant group and tourism developer. So was expressed by Gede Nurjaya, Chairman of Bali Government Tourist Office on a Social Gathering of Bali Governor with tourism moguls of Bali. This gathering was initiated by Bali Government Tourist Office with Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Wednesday (28/12) in Denpasar.
Officials present on the occasion were Governor of Bali, Vice Mayor of Denpasar, Chairman of Bali Tourism Board, and tourism moguls of Bali, Chief of Government Tourist Office across Bali and other stakeholders.
Remarked, attention of Bali government to tourism people was manifested in the form of awards presentation named Karya Karana Pariwisata. This award has originally presented since 2003. Its process and criteria, according to Nurjaya, were determined by all tourism stakeholders of Bali and assessment team of which elements selected by tourism association, academicians, mass media, non-government organization and government.
Governor of Bali, Dewa Made Beratha, in his speech uttered that the gathering meant to bring the relation of government close to tourism figures. In addition, the gathering was intended for a yearend evaluation on what has been carried out during 2005.
Observed, after the bomb blast in 2002, when the tourism of Bali has actually revived, unfortunately other bombs exploded again in 2005. “It’s extremely tragic. At all times, I ask for any inputs from tourism figures that have promoted the tourism of Bali at the present time. I’d also like to invite all components to recover the tourism of Bali,” explained Dewa Beratha.
Personally, the governor admitted that the impact of bomb blast 2005 was more formidable than that of 2002. He confessed to have approached all community components, like meeting with consuls, figures of religion, community and organization that meant to maintain Bali in order to be secure, peaceful and quiet. “I’m aware that one of the keys of tourism is security. Without security, visitors will not come. On that account, please improve the security and peacefulness of Bali so tourists are willing to come again,” he firmly stated.
Relating to bird flu, Dewa Beratha revealed that his party has been ready to face the possibility. Various health facilities have always been prepared to anticipate such condition. “However, I hope it will not come about in Bali,” he explained.
(BTN/015/para)

Tia Adnyani A Diligent Incense Maker

Incense stick functions as an important worship paraphernalia for Hindu devotees in Bali. Some people employ it for room aromatic substance. By burning this incense stick, its smoke will spread distinctive fragrant smell.
Today, incense makers are already scattered throughout Bali, whereas this incense originally imported from China. Tjok Istri Agung (TIA) Adnyani is a household mother that now deeply involves the making of incense stick. To Bali Travel News, when she joined a recent exhibition at Ksirarnawa Building, Art Centre Denpasar said that her work had just been set in motion as side job.
Other than incense sticks, Tia (56) also produces perfume and other aromatic substance and even has a beauty salon that still has close relation to her current work. Thus, her busyness progressively increases apart from taking care of her children that have been adult. “Now, I am also made busy to look after my four grandchildren,” she said.
On account of her diligence, TIA was awarded the predicate as model household mother in 2000. (BTN/yan beryas)