Ni Wayan Cici Suriastini
“Unveiling the Characteristic of Balinese Woman”

Cici is how she is usually greeted. This female tourism worker is immensely diligent, disciplined and always creative, whether it is at home, the workplace or in the organization she joins. Friendly, smiley and having solidarity are the keys to success at the workplace. So it is not surprising wherever she works she always enjoys it.
According to this Front Office Manager of the Maharta Beach Resort, as a Balinese woman working at hotel she should be capable of showing the typicality of Balinese woman namely friendly and smiling. The other ethic of Balinese woman such as in the field of polite fashion and supported by the uniform of Balinese tradition should also be shown. “The elements of Balinese culture, the friendliness and gracefulness - these could be adopted at the workplace,” she said.
She also added that Balinese women should know how to behave at any particular place or time. In other words, if she works at a company or hotel, she should be responsible for the task given. Likewise, if she joins the organization of customary village, she should take on any jobs without distinguishing their kind. “Sweeping and cooking is not the work belonging just to women or not predestination of woman. It merely constitutes a job division between husband and wife. In this matter, either may take it,” she revealed firmly.
In an organization like the Badung Office of the Federation of Indonesian Tourism Labor Union (FSPPar), Ni Wayan Cici Suriastini, her full name, fills in the position as secretary. She actively and constantly struggles for women’s rights. She habitually promotes and socializes women laborers, particularly those who get involved in tourism industry, on how important it is for a woman to participate actively within an organization. “Within the law there are many rights for women but women’s groups need to continue struggling for their rights.” she commented.
According to her, women today work maximum hours, but still they are required to struggle more. For the time being, only 25% of the administrators of the Badung Federation of Tourism Labor Union are filled by women where she expects at least 30%. “The equality at workplace has come into view where the women now are capable of occupying a position that is habitually filled by men. For instance, the position of General Manager has been filled by a Balinese woman,” she said.
This wife of Wayan Sedana admitted that the women’s activity that is frequently held by the Labor Union of Badung comprises several seminars to empower the women’s group. “This activity means to take the women’s group to an understanding of their rights and duties, including how to manage the time as a household mother and career woman,” she told Bali Travel News.
According to this mother of one son, through such activity it is expected that the women’s group would get more extensive knowledge so that their thinking perspective will expand too.
(BTN/015)

Mr. Maman Lingga
“Working is Process of Learning”

Getting involved in tourism business indeed has become this Balinese man’s life choice. Maman Lingga is the name of the General Manager of Waterbom Bali. “Getting involved in tourism is the process of learning. Joy and sorrow, of course can not be separated from my day-to-day life,” said this energetic father of one, a man popular in tourism circles.
Though Maman has been with the Waterbom Bali for two years, he no longer engages in hotel business, but the graduate of the Hotel & Tourism Training Institute, Nusa Dua (1991) admitted that his experience in hotel industry renders him many valuable inputs to his current career. “Every single work has its own joy and sorrow. Now, it depends how we respond to it,” he added.
This former Front Office Manager of The Legian Bali and The Club at The Legian feels the occupation he currently undergoes in fact gives him new spirit in his career. “Waterbom is a family recreation ground so that feeling of recreation and relaxation I could perceive, too,” he uttered.
On the other hand, Maman, as he is familiarly greeted, would also like to direct his creative ideas for the continuity of the business he chairs currently. “In terms of obsession, there are absolutely many things that I would like to realize here other than managing well what exists here,” he said.
“By the vision of always accentuating the customer’s convenience, the Waterbom Bali pays great attention to the customer’s security and convenience. Safety is number one,” he added. To meet all the conveniences, the Waterbom is keen to pay attention to every single inch of its territory in order to provide absolutely convenient facility and service. More than that, the training for 200 employees is regularly organized to maintain the good service. “It’s our commitment. For the sake of giving the best to customers our teamwork should be solid,” he asserted.
To deliver different attraction to their consumers Maman makes a new breakthrough in the matter of attraction facility. “Every two years, there must be a new creation attraction on offer. In the middle of June, you can rejoice in the new Superbowl attraction here,” he added.
Superbowl is a slide that currently can only be found in Canada. It will become the first of its kind in Bali and in the Asia-Pacific region. “Be ready, your adrenaline will skyrocket when you try it,” he uttered while explaining, from a great height you will be taken by the more extreme stream and you will spin for some minutes prior to gliding freely. “So, please do not miss it,” he promoted.
“In two years time, we will arrange many amusement facilities for children considering that Waterbom has the concept of family recreation,” he aspired. (BTN/008)

I Gede Rudia Adiputra
Tourism Practitioners Should Understand Balinese Culture

Tourism of Bali has evolved into a cultural tourism inspired by Hinduism. On that account, any cultural products of Bali may not be separated from the life concepts underpinned by teaching of Hinduism. How Balinese people could successfully survive along with its customs and tradition, live harmoniously and peacefully based on the Tri Hita Karana (three causes of happiness) concept is one thing that should be persistently preached. Thus was revealed by Drs. I Gede Rudia Adiputra, MAg. during the Sixth Graduation of the IHDN Denpasar recently.
According to the Rector of IHDN, every tourism practitioner, particularly the tour guides should understand about the condition, so it is not misinterpreted. A tour guide, he added, should not only put orientation on the money matters. If this comes about, they would compete to tell lies. “A tour guide must comprehend the concept of Balinese culture (religion and culture) in every respect so it would not have an impact on the degradation or extinction of Bali tourism itself,” he uttered.
To anticipate the fading of understanding on the tourism components towards Balinese culture, so the Department of Tour Guide (Diploma 3) is opened by the Denpasar State Institute of Hindu Dharma (IHDN). “Hopefully, my colleagues engaging in tourism industry here in Bali, ideally have an understanding on Balinese culture and tradition,” he stated while adding that four times his Institute has inaugurated the graduates of Tour Guides Department.
This energetic man and active as an environmental observer confesses that he completely opposes the tourism practitioners that only sell the Balinese cultural assets without being willing to give any contribution for improvement. For that purpose, he seriously asked the authorized officers to promptly discontinue their activities. “The behavior of tour guides only looking for short-term benefit will obviously have an impact on the next generation. As a consequence it would be difficult for us to re-establish them,” he commented. (BTN/Budarsana)