Tourism Confucius Institute UNUD Holds Online International Seminar

The Tourism Confucius Institute (TCI) of Udayana University held an Online International Seminar
"Encouraging Chinese Tourists to Revitalize Tourism in Bali" through the Zoom Meeting application, Friday (26/2/2021).

The international seminar presented Mr. keynote speaker. Guo Haodong, former Chinese Consul General for Bali and four other speakers (1) Prof. IB Wyasa Putra (Deputy Rector for Planning, Cooperation and Information at Udayana University) (2) Prof. Tao Xian Guang (Chinese Director of Tourism Confucius Institute) (3) Made Sumada (Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Tour Guides in Bali) and (4) Mr. Hendri Hidayat (Chinese Tour Guide in Bali).

Drs. I Made Sendra, M.Si, the Indonesian Director of TCI, said that based on online questionnaire data in China during the Covid-19 pandemic, Bali was still a favorite destination for Chinese tourists. As is well known, Covid-19 has affected various sectors of the livelihood of the Balinese people, even now, Bali's economic growth has reached its lowest point of minus 19%. It is hoped that after 70% of Balinese people get the Covid-19 vaccine, it will create community losses, so that this situation opens up opportunities for Bali tourism to reopen, especially for the Chinese tourist market. To attract visits from Chinese citizens to Bali, tourism stakeholders must strive to encourage market confidence that Bali is safe to visit through the Covid-19 protocol.

In 2021, TCI Udayana University will hold a Chinese New Year Festival combined with an international seminar themed "Empowering Chinese Tourist for Tourism Revitalization in Bali". With the hope, all participants can benefit from this seminar.

This seminar is an effort to find solutions to encourage market confidence in traveling to Bali. Through the socialization of 3M (Wearing Masks, Washing Hands, and Maintaining Social Distancing) which prioritizes 4 aspects of COVID-19 prevention, such as Cleanliness, Health, Safety and Environment (CHSE) which are now a top priority in the tourism sector, it is hoped that Chinese tourists will feel safe. and comfortable on vacation to Indonesia.

While the Vice Chancellor for Planning, Cooperation and Information Prof. IB Wyasa Putra in writing representing the Rector of Udayana University expressed his appreciation to Mr. Guo Haodong, former Chinese Consul General in Denpasar, and partner universities in China (Nanchang University and Nanchang Normal University) for their support and cooperation in Udayana University's Confucius Institute (TCI) Tourism Reservation and also congratulations to Mr. Zhu Xinglong for his appointment as Consul General of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Denpasar Bali.

Udayana University's Tourism Confucius Institute (TCI) was established under an agreement signed between the Confucius Institute Headquarters and Udayana University on December 12, 2019 in Changsha City, Hunan province. The MoU was followed up by signing an implementation agreement between the Chancellor of Nanchang University, Chancellor of Nanchang Normal University and Chancellor of Udayana University.

Bali is one of the most preferred destinations for Chinese tourists. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Chinese tourists had become a new tourism market that was growing in Bali. Tourism has become a driving force and leads the economic development of Bali Province with the main economic focus shifting from agriculture to service provision.

Based on online questionnaire data in China during the Covid-19 pandemic, Bali is still a favorite destination for Chinese tourists. In a pandemic situation, local people in Bali are interested in developing Mandarin language and culture skills. They realized that speaking Mandarin would be very beneficial in global competition because it has been recognized as one of the languages ​​of the United Nations. The Vice Chancellor hopes that this International Webinar can be useful for all participants who have attended.