Balinese hotels keep alert to possible Tsunami

The Balinese Hotel Association (BHA) as a component of the international tourism industry is aware of the risks of tsunami on Bali`s beaches and has therefore sponsored activities and arrangements to prevent or minimize them.

"We know that Indonesia is in a fire belt with many volcanoes, and some of the world`s geological faults also meet here. These things added up to a situation with a great potential to experience a tsunami," Alex Kesper, the BHA"s Tsunami Alert Coordinator, said here Wednesday.

Bali is one of world`s international tourism icons, and needs to be prepared for possible tsunami disasters, he said.

Kesper said there were several hotels consolidated with BHA which participate in a multi and cross cultural program. They are some international hotels networks operating in Tanjung Benoa, Badung district, Bali, facing the Indian Ocean.

Several hotels that also participate in the program are The Segara Hotel, Benoa Rose Residence, Palm Benoa, Ramada Benoa Hotel, Rasa Sayang Hotel, The Bali Khama Hotel, Puri Panca Setia Hotel, Club Bali Mirage, and Grand Bali Mirage Hotel.

Balinese hotels keep alert to possible Tsunami
Thursday, September 17, 2009 15:37 WIB | Economic & Business | | Viewed 279 time(s)
Denpasar (ANTARA News) - The Balinese Hotel Association (BHA) as a component of the international tourism industry is aware of the risks of tsunami on Bali`s beaches and has therefore sponsored activities and arrangements to prevent or minimize them.

"We know that Indonesia is in a fire belt with many volcanoes, and some of the world`s geological faults also meet here. These things added up to a situation with a great potential to experience a tsunami," Alex Kesper, the BHA"s Tsunami Alert Coordinator, said here Wednesday.

Bali is one of world`s international tourism icons, and needs to be prepared for possible tsunami disasters, he said.

Kesper said there were several hotels consolidated with BHA which participate in a multi and cross cultural program. They are some international hotels networks operating in Tanjung Benoa, Badung district, Bali, facing the Indian Ocean.

Several hotels that also participate in the program are The Segara Hotel, Benoa Rose Residence, Palm Benoa, Ramada Benoa Hotel, Rasa Sayang Hotel, The Bali Khama Hotel, Puri Panca Setia Hotel, Club Bali Mirage, and Grand Bali Mirage Hotel.

Besides, there also was multi sectoral cooperation in the program as its participants also include the Denpasar Indonesia Red Cross, the German Joint Committee, GTZ-CITEWS, CIM, and the Indonesian tourism and cultura ministry.

In December 2004, the world witnessed the massive impact of a tsunami in Aceh, West Sumatra and North Sumatra. Thailand`s tourism sector also experienced a major hit, because major scale rescue procedures were not implemented when disaster struck then.

The initiative is a good example of supporting each other in mitigating the tsunami`s impact on the people. the private sector also became a donor to the "Tsunami Siaga" program in Indonesia.

Kesper said the hotels` operating areas were very close to the beach and public housing areas.

"This is very dangerous if tsunami occurs. We wish the tourism industry`s stakeholders will have awareness and follow the procedures in responding to tsunami. The evacuation to higher ground, and communication way to coordinate were also defined," he said.

"We had several limited tsunami simulation, If it occurs the hotels staff, guests, local citizen and local authorities are involved in this program, and the program`s result was everything went well," he said.