A small group of eight Balinese operators have created their own ad campaign, due to frustration with what they perceive as the ongoing inability of the Indonesian and Australian industry players to finalise a Bali revival plan.
The fledgling Little Bali Hotel & Resort Company® (LBJRC) enlisted the help of two former Australia-based Garuda Indonesia Colleagues to help launch their own Bali awareness initiative in Australia.
The first stage in the campaign is a cheeky, ‘Where the Bali hell are you’ video clip which can be viewed online at . The second stage of the campaign comprises of heavily discounted LBHRC member accommodation, to begin next week.
The clip was shot on location in Bali and is a multi-million Rupiah campaign that claims that while business from Australia is still down, the rest of the world has begun to flock back to Bali.
Brett Morgan, LBHRC co-founder has said that Australians have become noticeable in Bali because of their absence.
“The Bali travel market from Australia still, potentially, represents the destination’s biggest source market and revenue,” he said. “There’s much talk of Indonesian government and Australian private sector funding being combined with Australian travel industry support and know-how to help rekindle interest in the destination – but nothing seems to be happening.
“LBHRC has been specifically created to address that situation for the smaller operators, the people responsible for Bali’s ‘bread and butter’ business, and as a result, help to get Bali’s tourism infrastructure back on track again.
“What we are trying to achieve with the campaign is to underline just exactly what the Australian tourists are missing. Nothing seems to be stopping the Europeans and the north Asians who are lapping up all the bargains this destination has to offer.
“It’s the same story in the US where Bali is very top of mind having just been voted ‘World's Best Island’ by Travel & Leisure magazine.”
Commenting on the similarities between their campaign and the recent controversial “Where the bloody hell are you?” Australian tourism campaign, Mr Morgan said, “Some might say we’ve taken a bit of a lend of a similar, multi-million dollar international tourism marketing campaign that recently did the rounds.
“But that’s not the case. Our campaign cost millions of rupiah – not dollars – and is intended to reignite interest in the destination and give people a laugh at the same time – anyone who has even been to Bali will know exactly what we’re doing here,” he said.
The eight hotels that fall under LBHRC membership are the Baleka Beach Resort, Bali Ayu Hotel & Villas, Bali Garden Hotel, Puri Etnik Hotel, Samsara Hotel & Spa, Su's Prince Cottages and Villa Coco. |