Nusa Dua – Bali Tourism Polytechnic warmly welcomed 103 participants to Winter School 2024 on 18 June 2024, organized as a collaborative effort between Bali Tourism Polytechnic, the University of Groningen (Netherlands), and Bandung Institute of Technology. Participants hail from universities across several countries, including Spain, Malaysia, Malta, Italy, Australia, Belgium, France, Turkey, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Indonesia. Their visit to Bali aims to understand the vulnerabilities of communities on small islands, particularly around Bali, to environmental changes such as soil erosion and coastal threats. They aim to identify local economic potentials and regional infrastructure that can support environmental conservation efforts and discuss assets and challenges faced by communities in tackling ecological disasters. As such, participants are expected to develop disaster response plans for tourism in remote areas and strategies for sustainable and responsible coastal area management to benefit local communities.
The event will feature a rich educational program, consisting of two sessions: lectures and field activities. The lectures, delivered by a diverse panel of instructors from ITB, Bali Tourism Polytechnic, RMIT University, Groningen University, and Universiti Sains Malaysia, will provide a comprehensive understanding of the topics. During the field activities, participants will visit Penglipuran Village, Melasti Beach, and Lembongan Island. They will be divided into groups focusing on coastal zone management, disaster resilience, sustainable tourism, community engagement, well-being, and happiness. The aim is for participants to gain a broader perspective on these topics, including planning and design, demographics, social and economic attributes, environmental contexts, and tourism activities, in order to build sustainable planning for the future.
The BiTP Global Unit, as the unit responsible for international cooperation at Bali Tourism Polytechnic, is coordinating this event in collaboration with the Public Relations Unit, Practice Hotel Unit, and several study programs, including Tourism Destinations, Hospitality Management, Travel Agency Business, and Convention and Event Management. Faculty members from Bali Tourism Polytechnic, namely Dr. Luh Yusni Wiarti, A.Par., S.E., M.Par., M.Rech., Dr. I Putu Utama, S.E., M.M., Dr. I Gede Darmawijaya, S.Pd., M.Agb., CHE, and Dewa Ayu Made Lily Dianasari, ST., M.Si., are involved as mentors and facilitators. During this event, students from Bali Tourism Polytechnic actively participate in welcoming, assisting, and participating as attendees. Additionally, Kamala Resort, the practice hotel of Bali Tourism Polytechnic, is specifically prepared as the official accommodation for Winter School 2024 participants during their activities. It is hoped that through Winter School 2024, Bali Tourism Polytechnic will further establish its global recognition as a centre of excellence in cultural tourism, thereby fostering global collaborations for the advancement of tourism and hospitality studies.
