Top tourism organizations in Bali are calling for the creation of a certification program to help improve the standard of experiences at the island’s top attractions.
The Indonesian Recreational Park Business Association (PUTRI) wants to create new standards to ensure safety, industry cohesion, and, above all, high quality for tourists.
Speaking at a panel discussion event in Denpasar called Chatting with PUTRI, the Chairman of the Bali Restaurant and Hotels Association and Ex-Deputy Governor of Bali, Cok Ace, supported the idea of creating a certification to help tourists determine the quality of attractions, hotels, restaurants, and other facilities.
He noted that rapid growth in the tourism sector in Bali has led to discrepancies in the quality of experiences on offer.
Cok Ace explained that since there is now a greater range of tourism activities on offer, certification would be beneficial to both tourists and providers to ensure that safety and quality are achieved across the board.
He noted that historically, Bali has focused on cultural, natural, and ‘artificial’ tourism attractions, but that the development of social-environmental attractions such as festivals, events, selfie stations, and rice terrace swings are in a category of their own.
Cok Ace explained, “This activity is new; now there are swings, selfie photo spots, rafting, and marathon events. Looking ahead, the biggest tourist attraction is the type that offers activities, so it is necessary to watch [this]; if there is a tourist object that makes the image of tourism damaged, then having five or even ten-star hotels and restaurants is useless.”
He continued, “For example, if a [tourist] runs along a route in a village and then gets bitten by a dog, who socializes [the issue], then making a selfie spot business with a bamboo backdrop [in the same village] is not worth it. This is the biggest challenge.”
Cok Ace reiterated that there are many tourism activities in Tabanan Regency, Gianyar Regency, Bangli Regency, and Buleleng Regency, in addition to Badung Regency, which is home to resorts like Uluwatu, Canggu, Seminyak, and Nusa Dua.
However, there is not yet a comprehensive certification program for attractions and businesses to take part in.
The Head of PUTRI Bali, Inda Trimafo Yuma, said that certification is required for nature-based tourism activities such as rafting, swings, and ATV tours.
He told the panel, “If, for example, it is not certified, it will be dangerous. So the most important key is tourism safety. Do not let this tourism business that provides a service be fooled.”
PUTRI Bali has been lobbying the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economies for more than two years to create a quality verification process.
The presence of a certification program would certainly help tourists plan their visits to top attractions and book activities, exclusions, and day trips.
For the most part, tourists have to rely on information available online, such as travel guides, blogs, and news, but most holidaymakers rely on reviews from fellow travelers to help discern the quality of experiences they are booking.
Safety standards and quality protocols are issues that have been widely discussed by regular tourists to Bali.
Over the years, there have been dozens, if not hundreds of reports, of tourists harmed, seriously injured, or even killed while visiting top attractions and taking part in vacation activities that should have been safe and enjoyable for all.
Injuries and deaths have been recorded at rafting experiences, ATV experiences, adventure play centers, cultural landmarks, and coastal viewpoints.
The safety standard on Bali’s fast boat services between the main island and the Nusa and Gili Islands has also been a hot topic of discussion after boats have capsized, caught fire, and tourists have been injured during rough seas.
Indonesian Recreational Park Business Association (PUTRI) has offered its services and personnel to the Ministry of Tourism to create, implement, and manage a safety and quality certification program for Bali’s top attractions.
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GC
Saturday 14th of September 2024
GREAT: IDEA❗❗WAY, PAST TIME, BUT: BETTER LATE, THAN , NOT AT ALL ❗❗❗❗
Exp
Friday 13th of September 2024
"If it is not certified, it will be dangerous."
Useless (read dangerous) cheap plastic helmets are sold with certification (SNI) sticker.
I have bought quite a few items like cable extensions and led strips with certification (SNI) sticker that after closer inspection are not safe to use with covers falling off exposing high voltage cables.
So certification here seems merely to be a box ticker and nice income stream rather indicating quality and safety.
What is required is uncorrupted regular and random inspections by highly competent people not afraid of enforcing laws and shut down unsafe operations. (I should stop this daydreaming).
Shorty
Sunday 15th of September 2024
@Exp,
Stop criticising, whingeing and come into the real world.
Where and what are the regulations that cover the newer activities like zip lining, paragliding, abyss swings...
Even the existing activities like the many variations in water sports, horse riding, buggy rides, Bungy...
Policing and enforcement are only relevant and needed if there's existing regulations and sanctions
Shorty
Sunday 15th of September 2024
@Exp,
The examples you give are not an argument against the need for certification. They're examples poor/non compliance and policing.
Your last paragraph is an argument for cerification. Many activities don't have laws or regulations covering all aspect of their operation.