The Bali Hotels Association?s Scholarship Program?which provides scholarships to 16 students every year to attend the county?s largest tourism institute?has just celebrated its 10th birthday.
The partnership between Bali Hotels Association (BHA) and the Inspirasia Foundation (formerly the Annika Linden Foundation) has seen 91 students in total receive full scholarships and partial scholarships.
?The hotels? support comes in the form of candidate selection at the initial stage,? said Jean-Charles Le Coz, BHA chairman. ?Thereafter, students that are eligible for full scholarship receives financial support provided by the Inspirasia Foundation while students that are eligible for partial scholarship receives funds from 28 BHA hotel members and/or other sources.?
He cited the example of I Gede Budiman, who was awarded a BHA scholarship in 2005?2006. With a hotel security guard father and a housewife mother, Budiman was invited by the Alila Manggis resort, where his father used to work, to join the program.
Budiman then completed the hotel management program at Sekolah Tinggi Pariwisata Nusa Dua Bali in May 2009 and, as part of the program’s objectives, was hired by the Alila Manggis resort. In this way, hotels that sponsor scholarships directly benefit from the program. It was also a personal triumph for Budiman, to continue working where his father worked.
?BHA Scholarship Program has made my dream came true to be in the hospitality industry, and I am keen to support the continuity of the program by being an exemplar alumni. I want to be loyal, dedicated, and responsible to my family, the company and community in Bali.?
Mr Le Coz went on to add that BHA is going to launch a book celebrating this one-decade of success. This book, which is expected to be a base and motivation for similar program sustainability, will be printed and distributed to various institutions such as the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy and embassies.
Source: Bali Hotel Association