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Participants enjoy RI culture, food despite tight schedule

Delegates and participants at the 2018 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Group in Nusa Dua, Bali, appear to be enjoying Indonesian tourist sites and food amid their tight schedules, with nearly 2,000 meetings on the agenda

Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post)
Nusa Dua, Bali
Sat, October 13, 2018

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Participants enjoy RI culture, food despite tight schedule

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elegates and participants at the 2018 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Group in Nusa Dua, Bali, appear to be enjoying Indonesian tourist sites and food amid their tight schedules, with nearly 2,000 meetings on the agenda.

Mattia Romani, the managing director of United Kingdom-based European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, has a tight schedule as he only arrived three days ago and has to leave on Saturday.

“I have been to a couple of restaurants, but no tourism sites, because I don’t have time. [...] But I saw some traditional dancing in the Balinese theater, some costumes [in the Indonesia Pavilion]. It was beautiful and unique,” the Italian told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

The cultural show he watched was held at the Indonesia Pavilion, which is organized by the State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry showcasing Indonesia’s achievements in the economy, industry, tourism, arts and handicrafts.

The pavilion is located close to the main venue of the meetings at the Bali International Convention Center.

One delegate from Djibouti, East Africa, Malik M. Garad was impressed by the friendliness of the Indonesian people, especially with the hospitality.

“I am so impressed by the warm welcome in Bali, particularly when you see smiling Indonesian people. […] We arrived last Tuesday [and are here] up to Sunday, it is short but we really enjoy it here in Bali, […] and I hope it won’t be the last,” said Garad, the head of banking supervision at the Djibouti Central Bank.

Some visitors are luckier than Romani and Garad as they came earlier to visit Bali’s tourism destinations or extended their stay in Indonesia and even plan to spend time visiting other cities, such as Yogyakarta.

Talal F. Salman, an economic advisor for the Lebanese Finance Minister, said he had allocated four days before the event kicked off to enjoy Bali’s famous tourism sites, such as Ubud, in Gianyar regency, known for its green and peaceful atmosphere.

“I went to Ubud, Uluwatu Temple and Nusa Penida for scuba diving. And I have had really good food [….] the ingredients that you have in Indonesia are so special,” he said, adding it was his first time to visit Bali.

Like Talal, Carolyn Palma, 77, from Peru, came to Bali to accompany her husband and daughter attending the IMF-WB meetings. She planned to visit Uluwatu Temple on Saturday.

“So, my husband is working and I am enjoying my time,” she said, giggling. “In regard to cuisine, we share similarities in loving spicy food. I love your fried rice and satay.”

Carolyn, whose father was a Peruvian diplomat, said her family would continue their holiday in Indonesia by visiting one of the world’s seven wonders Borobudur Temple in Yogyakarta and Jakarta two days after the IMF-WB meetings ended.

In Yogyakarta, she might meet Gita Bhatt, the IMF deputy chief from Washington D.C., who plans to visit Borobudur Temple and stay there for two days after the meetings end.

“It’s good to show what you’ve done to the world [through the Indonesia Pavilion], but I don’t think it’s enough just looking here, of course you need to visit [the sites] directly,” she said with a smile.

To deal with the tight schedule, the government has actually come up with a one-day trip package, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya told the press on Friday.

The minister said in total the government had allocated 80 percent of the tourism packages for one-day-trips. In Bali alone, there are 33 tourism packages on offer.

“We estimate that 95 percent [of the participants] will pick tourism destinations in Bali given the closeness of the venue,” he said, adding that the tour packages were from the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies (ASITA).

The ministry said at least 2,600 participants had ordered the tourism packages that included visits to cities across Indonesia. The dates of the tour were prior to and after the IMF-WB meetings and the prices range from US$75 to $2,000.

Separately, Bali Governor I Wayan Koster acknowledged that not all delegates had much time to visit Bali’s tourism sites, but believed that a short visit is enough to make them come back

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