Bali’s Online Taxi Drivers Receive Training To Better Help Tourists 

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Bali’s leading online taxi providers have partnered with the Bali Tourism Office to offer drivers training to ensure top-notch service.

Grab is an online taxi provider and one of the most widely used taxi services in Southeast Asia. 

Speaking to reports the Head of the Bali Tourism Department, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, said that hospitality training for tourism actors in Bali will be carried out in stages, to help level up the experience for visitors across the board. 

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The training session was run by the Bali Tourism Office alongside the Indonesian Hospitality Leader Alliance (AHLI) and Grab to provide training to Grab driver-partners.

Penayum told reporters, “Grab is actually the front guard in providing an image of Bali tourism that is culture-based, quality, sustainable, and dignified.”

He added, “Grab in Bali must be different from Grab outside because Bali is a tourist area.” Pemayun explained how Grab drivers must have a “tourism conscious’ spirit, meaning they understand how to maintain and manage Bali as a tourist destination so that tourists feel at home and comfortable when they are in Bali.”

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The workshop saw hundreds of Grab drivers gaining knowledge and training in sessions like ‘The Role of Drivers in the Tourism Industry,’ ‘Ethical Standards for Tourism Services,’ and ‘Anti-Sexual Violence Training.’

Advice was also given on how to ensure that drivers look the part.

Pemayun told reporters, “Earlier, I reminded them that if possible don’t wear jackets that are a bit worn, then their behavior on the road will be different from online motorbike taxis outside the area because this is a tourism area.” 

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Drivers were also reminded not to give in to tourists who tell them they want to drive with two passengers on a motorcycle taxi.

Pemayun said “there are those who say that why do two people ride behind the wheel, its just an economic factor so that you can transport them quickly, but I say don’t do that because we have regulations on the road.’

In accordance with Indonesian law motorcycle drivers are only permitted to drive with one passenger and both parties must wear helmets. 

The Bali Provincial Government are considering ways in which to help incentives tourism workers to help level up services for tourists and help communicate the new tourism tax to visitors. 

Following the training session, the Director of Grab East Indonesia, Halim Wijaya, expressed what an honor it was for Grab to be the first party involved in hospitality training from the Bali Provincial Tourism Office.

He said, “This initiative is in line with our mission to help maintain the comfort of the Balinese people, including tourists visiting the Island of the Gods.”

Pemayun confirmed that in the coming months more training will be given to tourism and hospitality teams across Bali, including workshops for conventional taxi drivers, public transportation drivers, tourist attraction managers, tourist village managers, spa therapists, water tour guides, white water rafting tour guides, and others.

Grab is a widely used ride-hailing service in Bali, providing both motorcycle taxis, cars, and food collection services.

Grab, like other online taxi providers like GoJek, has been met with some hostility in Bali over the years.

Many conventional and privately owned taxi companies feel that online taxi providers are stealing their rides and pricing them out of the market. 

However, government officials have confirmed time and time again that Grab, GoJek, and other online taxi providers are legal to operate around Bali, especially in busy tourism areas.

Many tourists feel more comfortable using an online taxi provider than hailing a taxi on the street since there are plenty of security and safety features built into the Grab and GoJek systems.

These include driver and vehicle verification, live journey tracking, and 24/7 emergency support.