Ni Komang Erviani ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Denpasar, Bali   |  Tue, 07/28/2009 6:42 PM  |  Business

Operators of MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition) industry in Bali are upbeat the recent hotel bombings in Jakarta will not affect business on the island.

Chairman of the Society of Indonesia Professional Convention Organizers, Putu Juarez R. Putra, said Tuesday that he remained optimistic that Bali would host several major international gatherings in the remainder of the year.

“Organizers of international conferences that include large number of delegates have selected Bali as their destination. We have not received any cancellations related to those gatherings,” he said.

One of the international events will be the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) on Aug. 9 to13, which will be held at the island’s tourism enclave, Nusa Dua.

“In November we will host the meeting of Asia’s telecommunication ministers and in 2010 the island will host the gathering of ministers of justice from countries in the South East Asia region,” he said.

The busy period will continue through to 2011 and 2013.

The island’s top-notch tourism attractions and the high quality offered by the island’s MICE operators, he stressed, have catapulted Bali into one of the world’s most favorite MICE destinations.

The island currently has more than 120 MICE operators.

Juarze urged the government to improve security measures to prevent similar attacks in the future.

Bali was the target of suicide bombings twice in 2002 and 2005.