Save a tree do not print this newsletter
unless necessary
"I do appreciate receiving your news
letters which are very
informative"
. MS. M. N. Australia 2008/8/23
"May I say I think your newsletter is
great". Mr.
P. 2008/10 U.S.A.
"I really look forward to
keeping up with the news while I am at
home in Perth.
I spend about 40% of my time in Bali on
business and whilst away it is important
to keep updated and that is what you do
for me".Mr. A. M.
Perth, Australia 2008/12/24
Once
again Desiree
Bellefontaine and
her staff at
Desiree's
Restaurant cooked
a perfect
Christmas dinner
with delicious
pumpkin soup,
squash, vegetables
potatoes and
imported U.S.
tender turkeys
cooked to
perfection by Chef
Surana and his
team.
The Restaurant
staff headed by
Bagio and Kadet
got into the
spirit of
Christmas wearing
Santa clause hats.
One guest
commented “it was
like eating dinner
at home with my
mom”.
“it
was like eating
dinner at home
with my mom”.
In fact Villa
Owner Momma Elsie
(as the staff call
her) took care of
the decorations
and secret
homemade receipt
dressing with the
turkeys.
Finally a
surprise visit
from Santa, who
gave gifts to all,
made the day.
Then guests
returned to their
villa for a swim
in their warm 27°
pools.
As we say “life is
good, in Bali” and
Santa and his
helpers made it a
very special day.
"life is good, in
Bali”
BALI
NEW
YEARS
PREDICTIONS
2009
Predictions:
It's
that time of
the year to
review my last
year’s
predictions
and bring out
my crystal
ball to make
my predictions
for 2009.
I was wrong - 2008 was not great.
Let
me start off by admitting I was wrong on
the world economies for 2008. Our slogan
for last year was “2008 would be great”.
Needless to say with the exception of
Bali real estate 2008 was definitely
not great.
So what's ahead?
After discussing with many very
intellectual people during the holidays
including C.E.O’s of oil related companies
I've come the conclusion that no one,
including yours truly, knows what's ahead.
Because no one knows how the world's
governments will react to severe economic
and financial news. What I do believe is
we've not seen the worst yet.
Which
number
would you
like to
have for
next
year's
total
tourism
visit
projection?
Would it
be 6.2
million,
6.4, 6.5,
or even 8
million?
These are
the
choices
you get
when the
government
sets a
target for
expected
visitors
to the
country in
2009.
Last
Thursday,
the
director
general of
marketing
for the
ministry
of culture
and
tourism
Sapta
Nirwandar
was very
optimistic
with the 8
million
figure.
"The
industry
was a
crisis-proof
one," he
claimed at
that time.
A few days
later
however,
Minister
of Culture
and
Tourism
Jero Wacik
said in a
press
conference
Tuesday
that the
projected
figure for
next year
was 6.5
million,
with a
second
target of
6.4
million,
"a
moderate
projection,"
he said,
and a
third at
6.25
million,
"a (more)
pessimistic
target".
If the
world
economic
crisis was
not
happening,
then the
target of
8 million
could be
easily
reached,
the
minister
argued.
As for
this year,
the number
of
tourists
was 6.433
million,
Jero
added,
bringing
in US$7.55
billion in
foreign
exchange
income, a
45 percent
increase
from the
$5.3
billion
recorded a
year
earlier.
The
average
tourist in
2008 spent
$1,178 on
a visit to
the
country,
up from
$970 last
year.
Optimistic
or not,
crisis or
not, hotel
room
capacity
keeps
growing.
Carla
Parengkuan,
executive
director
of the
Indonesian
Association
of Hotels
and
Restaurants,
said 40
new hotels
would
start to
operate
next year.
"Optimistic
or not,
crisis or
not, hotel
room
capacity
keeps
growing"
Letter
to the
Jakarta
Post:
I agree
with the
article
in the
Jakarta
Post
article
titled
“Hotels
hold on
despite
global
financial
crisis”
But in fact, what I am hearing
from my
hotel
manager
friends
are some
larger
hotels
are
seeing
20% to
30%
drops in
occupancies.
Our 55 villas are 84% occupied now
and will
top out
at 100%
in a few
days
Another
small
indicator
that the
recession
has not
hit is
that we
had 120%
more
paying
guests
at our
annual
Christmas
dinner
than
last
year.
I do believe that the recession is
hurting
more
expensive
resorts
throughout
world
such as
Hawaii.
With the Indonesian rupiah down
20%
against
the U.S.
Dollar
and Euro
recently
Bali is
a
bargain
for
those
wishing
to
stretch
their
holiday
budget
during
these
tough
times.
"Bali is a bargain for those
wishing
to
stretch
their
holiday
budget
during
these
tough
times"
I believe in 2009 the recession
will
cause a
small
decrease
in the
amount
of
tourists
who may
have
normally
made
reservations
in Bali.
But the fact that Bali has been
living
without
bombs
and
crisis
for some
time
will
bring
enough
new
tourists
to Bali
to
compensate
for the
loss.
Our slogan is Two
Thousand
and Nine
Will Be
Fine.
Sincerely Yours:
Lawrence B.M. Bellefontaine,
President
Director,
Pt.
B.A.L.I.
"My
family
have
stayed
in one
of your
4
bedroom
villas
before
and
absolutely
loved"
Ms. N.W.
Australian
,2008/12/30
Indonesia
and Bali
still
seeing
booming
tourist
trade
Wednesday,
24
December
2008
Despite
global
gloom,
Indonesia’s
tourist
arrivals
are
still
seeing
very
healthy
growth,
particular
in
relation
to
Bali,
and
now
the
country
is
predicting
tourist
numbers
will
grow
by
25%
in
2009.
For
the
ten
months
to
October
end,
international
arrivals
hit
5.1
million,
lifting
some
13%
on
top
of
2007
figures,
of
this
figure
some
one
million
travellers
travelled
to
Indonesia
with
intentions
to
visit
Bali.
Looking
to
2009,
Indonesia
is
confident
that
it
can
repeat
the
success
of
2008
again.
The
Indonesian
Ministry
of
Tourism
is
predicting
eight
million
international
arrivals,
or a
25%
increase
on
this
year’s
figures,
which
is
expected
to
sit
at
around
6.4
million.
“With
the
looming
crisis,
I’m
afraid
we
won’t
have
the
expected
peak
of
foreign
tourist
arrivals
in
December...
But
you
can’t
say
that
the
government
has
failed,”
said
Sapta
Nirwandar,
a
director
general
at
the
Ministry
of
Tourism,
reported
The
Jakarta
Post.
In
the
ten
months
being
accounted
for,
some
quarter
of a
million
tourists
in
Bali
were
Australians,
signalling
the
renewal
of
the
Australian
appetite
for
the
exotic
island
destination.
Australians
are
travelling
there
despite
the
government
travel
warnings,
and
both
Jetstar
and
Garuda
have
reported
nearly
full
planes.
“Advance
bookings
did
drop
off
but
there
has
been
a
lot
of
last-minute
bookings
for
next
week,”
said
a
spokesperson
for
Jetstar
to
The
Australian.
Garuda
added,
“We’re
confident
that
Bali
will
come
out
of
it
reasonably
well,
as
people
make
their
holiday
plans
and
they
start
to
reconsider
going
there.”
A new Income Tax Law (UU No. 36 Year 2008) has
been passed by
the President of
Indonesia on
September 23rd
2008 will
come into effect
on January 1st
2009.
IMPACT:
Income tax
tariff will be
reduced
while
nontaxable
income will be
increased . All
employees
with no tax ID
will be
penalized with
20% increase
from normal
income tax.
For outbound
Indonesian who
doesn't have the
tax ID yet, they
can apply for it
online until 31
December 2008.
If you already
have an existing
tax ID, you may
ignore this
advisory.
Fiscal Ends Jan.
1, 2009
On Jan 1st the
government will
implement free
fiscal on Jan.
1, 2009 for
Indonesian
citizens and
Foreign Holders
of working
permits who have
tax identity
card (NPWP).
For those
without a tax Id
the fiscal will
be increased
150% for
Rp1,000,000 to
Rp 2,500,000
Fiscal fee is
currently
applied to
Indonesian
citizens
travelling
overseas.
The Tax Office
is intensifying
efforts to force
Indonesian
citizens to
posses the
BALI LUXURY VILLA SPECIALS
Two For One:
Want a great deal.
From Jan 5th. 2009 to Jan
22nd. 2009 we are offering a
deal that is two good to be
true.
For every two nights Receive 1
night free .
For example book a One bedroom
EARL
Villa Jan. 15th to Jan 22nd.
for our normal price of
$195.00 and receive the third
night free. Therefore your
final price is only or
$130.00 per night Plus 10% Tax
& 5 % Service Charge
Alternately you can book a Two
bedroom villa at our normal
published price an receive a
three bedroom absolutely free.
.jpg)
Once
again Desiree
Bellefontaine and
her staff at
“it
was like eating
dinner at home
with my mom”.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
It's
that time of
the year to
review my last
year’s
predictions
and bring out
my crystal
ball to make
my predictions
for 2009.
At
the same
time
.jpg)
Another
small
indicator
that the
recession
has not
hit is
that we
had 120%
more
paying
guests
at our
annual
Christmas
dinner
than
last
year.
In
the
ten
months
being
accounted
for,
some
quarter
of a
million
tourists
in
Bali
were
Australians,
signalling
the
renewal
of
the
Australian
appetite
for
the
exotic
island
destination.
