BHA to Share Gift to Bali

Denpasar (Antara Bali) - The question arose as to how to restore confidence and find a way to market Bali after a series of tragedies happened in this Island of Gods several years ago, and Bali Hotels Association (BHA) launched "Bali Is My Life" to promotes Bali as a destination.
     
"Bali Is My Life is the brand it comes very much alive as a whole series of activities destined to increase Bali's allure as a preferred destination is launched. Let's go back in time and revisit the Bali Is My Life's origins. It is only six years since Bali suffered a series of tragedies from which has very much recovered," said Jean-Charles Le Coz, Chairman of BHA, in Denpasar, Thursday.
    
A creative team with extensive personal experience of Bali, was given the challenge to find the right angle as BHA wants to share gift to Bali. The team had to be done quickly and gain the approval of the tourism industry in order to get Government recovery funds flowing.
    

"The solution in the end was both charming and effective," said Le Coz. They went back to the "heart" of Bali and asked what is the one thing that all visitors take away with them. Many love the rice fields, others the culture, most the beach and the lifestyle, but the uniting factor is the people of Bali.
     
This is where the visitors do the island interaction lies and what most visitors remember. "So they went out and found real people and asked them to be part of the program and they all said 'yes'," said he. 
    

For instance, the visitors found a young dancer, but not just any dancer, her mother was a dancer, her grandmother was a dancer, and her greatgrandmother was Bali's oldest performing dancer.

"Her lines were simple, because the young beautiful dancer says, dancing is in my blood but Bali is my life," said he.
    

Le Coz said, we found a mask carver whose family had lived and worked in the same compound for 800 years. His lines said it all, like carving is his heritage but Bali is my life.
    

And so it continued, the artist, the masseuse, the chef, the surfer, the farmer, the schoolgirl; all telling the world that this is no manufactured western playground, but an island lived in and loved by its people. A real and we think delightful message, and it worked.
    
The visitors returned and the island is as they see it today, but BHA is determined to keep the image up and last year already launched the continuation program with  a new series or characters, presented a princess, an architect, a stone carver, a rafter, and a restaurant owner .
     
"And now comes the big promotion, a feature film to be promoted all over the world and a new high technology visitors guide using 2D Barcodes," said he.
    

The Grand Launch is on June 12th with a golf competition at Bali Golf and Country Club and a Gala Dinner at Nikko Bali Resort and Spa in which BHA backed by Now! Bali magazine, Bali Golf and Country Club, and Nikko Resort and Spa, will represent "Bali Is My Life" to the world in film and in person.
     
"The characters will also be featured as part of the re-designed BHA website which be also be launched on June 12th," said he. 
    

The financial benefits from the golf competition will go to Rotary Club Nusa Dua to further the good works they are doing, but hopefully the real beneficiary of this event will be the whole Bali tourism industry.(*)