AT A TIME when Bali’s economy is booming, one of its businessmen, Kadek Wiranatha, is more hopeful than ever for the island’s fortunes, describing Bali as being in its “taking off” phase.
Having long been involved in the tourism sector, with a string of fashionable entertainment ventures in popular areas such as Seminyak and Legian, Kadek says he is confident of good times ahead.
“It’s good. The economy is dependent on tourism,” he said.
Kadek, however, is nothing if not a humble man, and refuses to accept accolades for his, or Bali’s, successes. “There are many other people who have built up Bali,” he said.
Others involved in Bali’s tourism industry point to Kadek as facilitating investment in the island and driving its tourism industry.
“Twenty years ago Kadek was promoting Bali, here and abroad, and as a result of what he said, a lot of investment came into Bali,” the head of construction and investment firm PT Hanno Bali, Hanno Soth, said.
“Kadek has done a lot for Bali over the years,” he said.
One of the owners of Ku De Ta in Seminyak, which has become an industry leader not only in Bali but overseas, Kadek said he never envisaged that the nightspot would have become such an icon, as it celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
“Not at all,” he said. “It was just a small place with limited seating.”
With foreign tourist arrivals notching above the 2-million mark for 2009, and the growing number of airlines serving the island, particularly on Australian routes, Bali’s airport is expanding to handle the expected large increase in arrivals. This all augers well, observers say, for the health of Bali’s tourism-based economy, which some, like Kadek, say it still in its relative infancy.
“I still believe that Bali has not taken off yet. We see now that the tourism figures are taking off – but Bali is just starting to,” he said.
“I think it’s going to be stronger this year.” By Thebalitimes.com
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