blue-voices

Labuan Bajo is world renowned to be one of the most enjoyable diving experiences. Not far from Komodo island and only a fifteen-minute ride from an international airport, Labuan Bajo’s marina hosts all sorts of maritime activities. A collection of beautiful islands can be found around Labuan Bajo, such as the island of Rinca, Komodo, Sabolo, Kanawa and Padar to name but a few. These famous islands of Flores draw interest from both local and international tourists.  

PT. Dive Komodo is a marine tourism and dive operator which has been operational in Labuan Bajo since 1996, making it one of the first dive operators in Labuan Bajo. As a company ethos, Dive Komodo does not only prioritize environmental aspects but also prioritize social aspects that are in line with the Signing Blue principle - a marine tourism improvement program initiated by the WWF-Indonesia.

With the various facilities provided, visiting guests are greeted with the hospitality and warmth of the Dive Komodo’s friendly and family-oriented staff. Dive Komodo’s tourism activities began with only one boat for routine daily day trips, leaving in the morning and returning in the afternoon. Growing rapidly since the start of 2012, Dive Komodo has grown to operate three boats. This was the momentous start of the marine tourism trips, where liveaboard trips began taking tourists to sail for several days in the ocean.

Sustainable Commitments

Since the beginning, Dive Komodo has done positive things in management as a diving operator company headquartered in Labuan Bajo. Ecosystem maintenance is carried out by the staff of Dive Komodo. Moreover, in 2016 Dive Komodo joined Signing Blue which has three ideological pillars, the natural environment in terms of marine diversity and reduction of the ecological footprint, socio-cultural aspects, as well as aspects of management effectiveness.

In keeping with the mission that Dive Komodo has had since its inception, Signing Blue is the perfect complement as an internationally trusted legal entity. This shared vision has made Dive Komodo a great collaborator of Signing Blue since 2016. Dive Komodo uses a holistic approach in their principles of environmental friendliness which can be seen clearly and consistently. Maintaining and preserving the environment is carried out as a daily activity, such as beach clean-ups, using local products, saving energy and water, as well as choosing the types of fish that are suitable for consumption.

With Dive Komodo joining Signing Blue, a synergy is formed – harmonious and balanced in various principles, such as maintaining the land and sea environments, socio-cultural principles that promote local principles and local products, as well as an effective management principle that is reliable, legal, and also a good operational standard based on recommendations from the Signing Blue team. One example of a socio-economic cultural principle that has been applied by Dive Komodo is by collaborating with local craftsmen and promoting and selling their handicrafts in Dive Komodo offices. Staff training in terms of environmental care were carried out, to tackle concerns of the local community, namely West Manggarai from Ruteng, Flores. This is a positive sustainable education program to preserve nature. Dive Komodo creates Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), and training for all staff on good diving Code of Conduct, this was achieved by making manuals as a training tool. As a result, when Dive Komodo employs Dive Masters, Dive Instructors and new staff, they can train according to the set SOPs.

Various changes continue to run over time, which is a daily habit for Dive Komodo. Patrolling areas that are prone to damage caused by human behavior, including monitoring and in turn reporting to the authorities if there are illegal activities such as boats docking or fishing in the Komodo National Park area. The active collaboration between Dive Komodo and the association of Komodo dive operators (DOCK), government officials, local communities, and the nature protection community has resulted in many positive changes. In addition, Dive Komodo has applied energy saving protocols during operations at sea, reducing noise pollution and fuel consumption.

Dive Komodo recommends all staff and guests not to use or carry plastic bags, straws, and single-use drinking bottles. To make this "no single use plastic" program a success, Dive Komodo provides water dispensers in their offices and on board their boats. If there is single-use plastic waste, it will be collected and taken to designated waste management agencies. Dive Komodo also has a good waste management policy that is implemented in their offices as well as on their boats. They have implemented waste separation and collaborated with local waste and recycling companies assisted by WWF-Indonesia at their Labuan Bajo site. Dive Komodo separates waste in the following categories: paper, hard plastic, glass bottles and metals, before handing over the waste to a recycling company. Dive Komodo collects general waste to be taken by the local waste processing entrepreneurs to the Final Disposal Site (TPA). Some of the organic waste is taken home by staff to be used as compost, as a result, there is no waste left in offices or on the boats. Before the pandemic, Dive Komodo participated in organizing weekly beach clean ups with Trash Hero. During the pandemic, Dive Komodo collaborated with Trash Hero in educating children and the local community on marine animals, including coral reefs. Dive Komodo dive staff and instructors also regularly attend these classes.

Other sustainability efforts done by Dive Komodo are planning trips which utilize ocean currents to reduce carbon footprint by optimizing fuel usage, minimizing the use of speedboats whenever possible in order to reduce noise and light pollution that can disrupt marine animal groups that live at Manta and Turtle dive sites. Dive Komodo is an active participant in several communities such as Trash Hero, the Komodo Dive Operator Community (DOCK), and also with the government for beach cleaning and underwater cleaning activities. One form of cooperation with the government is related to safety and the environment, where SOPs are created for diving and snorkeling. For example, everyone is prohibited from collecting things related to underwater animals and prohibited from damaging coral reefs.

Dive Komodo is committed in shaping a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) effort in environmental issues by helping the Manta Watch community as well as the research community to train and get diving certificates for related parties without taking any proceeds of such activities. Dive Komodo has also made significant improvements in its food division by regularly conducting training sessions with cooks for its three boats and holding meeting sessions to discuss sustainable and suitable seafood options. To avoid endangering fish populations, Dive Komodo buys seafood from the local fish market with very strict conditions, namely by selecting and measuring fish that are considered adults (more than thirty-six centimeters). Also, by altogether avoiding some sensitive and endangered species, complying with the Signing Blue standard. As quoted from Ms. Sofia Tedestam as Dive Manager, “We do not include Grouper in our menu because they are an endangered species according to the IUCN. We prefer live school fish that are of sufficient age and size according to Signing Blue's Seafood Advisor standards and guidelines.”

Dive Komodo melakukan bersih-bersih pantai bersama wisatawan

Sumbder: Dive Komodo

Adapting During a Pandemic

“Since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, we have seen a decrease in income and guest arrivals”, as stated by Mr. Frans. X. Suhardi as General Manager at Dive Komodo, "Normally we have many guests, but since this pandemic situation it has decreased drastically. But on the other hand, joining Signing Blue has a very positive impact in maintaining positive criteria and values in marine tourism."

The CHSE standard in terms of health protocol standard is currently a top priority for Dive Komodo staff, such as washing hands at all times, wearing masks during various activities, and also social distancing, all of which are done in order to maintain personal health as well as the surrounding environment. By maintaining cleanliness and health according to the CHSE standards set by the government, the staff also feel safe and comfortable when working at Dive Komodo. With optimism itself and the plan to reopen activities for tourism from the central government makes people eager and excited to go through this pandemic. One of the efforts that has been and continues to be made by Dive Komodo is to continue being active on social media, as a platform to create awareness, provide examples of good behavior on board and whilst diving, and to share information about biodiversity and the environment to the public, potential tourists, and divers so that they can behave properly and responsibly at dive sites, especially in Komodo National Park.

Dive Komodo has several active social media accounts through Instagram @divekomodo, Facebook Dive Komodo, and Pinterest Dive Komodo. On these platforms, Dive Komodo can share information and attract local people, tourists, as well as local communities to participate in beach cleaning and underwater cleaning. During this Pandemic, social media also plays an important role in showing the public, especially prospective divers, that Dive Komodo is still operating and has implemented health procedures set by the government. Registration and selection of diving trips by Dive Komodo can also be done through their website at www.divekomodo.com.

The hopes of Dive Komodo in the future is to be able to carry out activities as usual, where foreign and local tourists can return to Labuan Bajo to dive. Other activities that have been awaited to be carried out are beach and deep sea cleaning activities in the waters of Komodo National Park so that they remain clean and the natural preservation is maintained. Especially with the dedication and presence of Dive Komodo and staffs who are trained in practicing responsible tourism, and maintaining the underwater beauty of Labuan Bajo and the Komodo islands. Optimistically, there is hope that more and more tourists will be able to enjoy the extraordinary landscape views, the sensation of underwater currents, and encountering exotic animals in the near future.

The island of Bali is a tourist destination that is second to none. Seminyak Beach, in Kuta Bali with a calm atmosphere is a strategic location for various social and personal activities, one of which is surfing, attracting Surfers from all around the world. Located right on the coast of Seminyak, Kuta, which is one of the favorite beaches for both foreign and domestic tourists, direct access to the beach makes The Haven Bali Seminyak a favorite stopover place.

The Haven Bali Seminyak was opened in September 2009 with nature-like character, but with a modern touch. The Haven Bali Seminyak runs an environmentally friendly concept and pays close attention to the social culture of Bali.

The Haven Bali Seminyak is a pioneer of lifestyle accommodation in Bali that offers a 3 in 1 hotel concept, namely hotels, suites and villas consisting of 96 hotel rooms, 60 suites, and 6 villa units complete with private swimming pools. The hotel is within walking distance to Bali's most exciting nightlife, boutiques, restaurants and some of the famous beaches.

Since its inception, The Haven Bali Seminyak has a concept that focuses on environmental sustainability and socio-economic development. The Haven Bali Seminyak has succeeded in obtaining the Emerald III certificate from Tri Hita Karana, a foundation that accredits sustainability in the hotel environment as a player in the tourism industry in Bali. Not only that, in 2018 The Haven Bali Seminyak succeeded in becoming a member of Signing Blue, the brainchild of WWF-Indonesia related to the improvement of marine tourism. The Haven Bali Seminyak is active in several associations, namely the Bali Province Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) and the Bali Hotel Association (BHA).

Coastal cleaning activities and cleaning of the surrounding area to maintain environmental cleanliness are routinely carried out by The Haven Bali Seminyak and in coordination with the PHRI and BHA associations on World Clean Up Day and The Biggest Beach Clean Up. A series of activities related to environmental sustainability are routinely carried out when celebrating the anniversary of The Haven Bali Seminyak, such as releasing Tukik (sea turtles) on Seminyak beach and renewing the Reading Park in Tianyar, Karangasem for social aspects. Not only that, The Haven Bali Seminyak also carried out a reforestation program, namely planting coconut trees on Serangan Beach. The Haven Bali Seminyak routinely carries out activities related to environmental and social sustainability, in line with the Tri Hita Karana and Signing Blue programs.

Environmentally friendly actions have been carried out throughout The Haven Bali Seminyak area, especially in the rooms and in the Sabeen restaurant. There are no longer any room amenities in single-use packaging. The Haven Bali Seminyak has replaced mineral water in single-use plastic bottles with mineral water in refillable glass bottles. There are signs urging guests to use water and electricity only as needed. At Sabeen, a restaurant owned by The Haven Bali Seminyak, they no longer use plastic straws and styrofoam or single-use plastic packaging. As stated by I Ketut Adi, Human Capital Manager of The Haven Bali Seminyak, “We are no longer using single-use materials such as plastic straws, plastic packaging or Styrofoam. We replace them with environmentally friendly materials as directed by the Bali provincial government, one of which is the Sabeen Signature Besek program for take away packaging, this is our effort in addition to being environmentally friendly as well as supporting the local economy.” Environmental sustainability efforts are also carried out in the kitchen area of The Haven Bali Seminyak, by empowering local entrepreneurs to supply vegetables and fruits. The Haven Bali Seminyak also utilizes several areas in the garden for vegetable gardening such as bok-choy, kale, carrots, lemongrass, and many more.

The Haven Bali Seminyak made various energy conservation efforts, one of these efforts is by replacing conventional light bulbs with Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). The Haven Bali Seminyak uses motion sensors in suite rooms to detect motion and if no motion is detected, the electricity will automatically turn off. In addition, The Haven Bali Seminyak has used a Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) system for its air conditioning system. A high initial investment, but there will be significant electricity savings. As Putu Budi, Chief Engineering, The Haven Bali Seminyak, said, "The investment in switching from a conventional air conditioning system to a VRV air conditioning system is quite high, but savings of 30% can be felt every month."

In addition to energy conservation efforts, The Haven Bali Seminyak has also made efforts in water conservation. The use of a water filtration system throughout the hotel can save a significant amount of water. The Haven Bali Seminyak refers to the Environment and Hygiene Service (DLHK) of the province of Bali, using two different water systems, namely in collaboration with the Regional Drinking Water Company (PDAM) and an independent underground water system. The underground water tank has been installed with a filtration system and is directly distributed to the swimming pool and bathroom without compromising guest comfort, this saves water usage by up to 30%. Water conservation efforts do not stop there, The Haven Bali Seminyak has 17 points of Biopori holes and five points of infiltration wells. All staff and guests have been educated on energy and water conservation efforts for environmental sustainability.

To minimize the carbon footprint and pollution to the surrounding environment, The Haven Bali Seminyak tests and monitors bad emissions from generators, this is performed annually by DLHK Bali. The Haven Bali Seminyak generator set is categorized as suitable for use and meets DLHK standards. Further effort to minimize environmental pollution carried out by The Haven Bali Seminyak is to reduce dirty water waste by establishing good cooperation with the Denpasar Sewage Development Project (DSDP) institution.

The Haven Bali Seminyak has good waste management and divides its waste into three categories, namely dry waste, wet waste, and B3 waste. With good cooperation with the environmental cleanliness management of the Seminyak Traditional Village, dry waste and wet waste are handed over to the Village, then The Haven Bali Seminyak receives compost to be used in the Hotel gardens. Regarding the replacement of mineral water in single-use plastic bottles for mineral water in glass bottles, there are further savings in terms of waste transport, as stated by Putu Budi, Chief Engineering, The Haven Bali Seminyak, “In the past we used mineral water in single-use plastic bottles and there is an additional fee for transporting the garbage. Now we use glass bottles where we buy glass bottles the first time only and do refills. The savings are almost 50% per month when compared to the past.”

To run a hotel with a sustainable tourism concept, The Haven Bali Seminyak is friendly to special needs guests. The hotel is equipped with a special bathroom for people with disabilities, a special ramp for wheelchairs, and has a special room located close to the lobby and restaurant.

In terms of helping the development and promotion of Balinese culture, The Haven Bali Seminyak does several things such as collaborating with besek craftsmen who produce Sabeen Signature Besek packaging, this gives special memories to guests, both restaurant visitors and overnight guests. Another effort to promote local culture is the activity of making canang, a Balinese offering made of various flowers and coconut leaves, to guests staying at The Haven on Nyepi Day.

The Haven Bali Seminyak together with the management of PHM Hotels conduct a program which is held once a year in October, called OctobArt. Collaborating with local Balinese painters to display their paintings in the hotel area. Of course, it presents Indonesian regional dances, namely Javanese dances to Papuan dances, in collaboration with the local dance studios of the Seminyak Traditional Village and the staff. In 2020, The Haven Bali Seminyak will educate visitors with the theme of painting eggs, in collaboration with egg painting craftsmen of Bali.

One form of The Haven Bali Seminyak's commitment to running sustainable tourism is to employ 100% Indonesian citizens, especially locals, namely from the Seminyak Traditional Village. The Haven Bali Seminyak diligently follows Indonesian employment laws, only employing workers who are old enough and all workers have complete employment contract documents. All staff at The Haven Bali Seminyak have gone through an orientation and training process related to knowledge of all aspects of the hotel. Training related to guest satisfaction and service is routinely carried out by each department. Of course, external training is also carried out, these are held with associations related to each department, for example the Front Office department with the Hotel Frontliner Association (HFLA) in Bali and Housekeeping in the Indonesia Housekeeper Association (IHKA) - Bali. Orientation programs, internal training, and external training help increase guest satisfaction, which is why The Haven Bali Seminyak gets good reviews, both from the TrustYou system and TripAdvisor, along with several other Travel Agencies such as Agoda and Booking.com.

The Haven Bali Seminyak provides opportunities for students from Vocational High Schools (SMK) or in tourism and hospitality high schools to be able to conduct training in hotels. There are several schools that The Haven Bali Seminyak provides opportunities for training, namely SMK Negeri 4 Mengwitani, Badung and Royal Bali College located in Gianyar.

Entering the Covid-19 Pandemic, The Haven Bali Seminyak made preparations and anticipations by successfully going through the process to get a 'New Normal' certificate issued by the Bali Regional Government Tourism Office (Disparda) in August 2020, and an 'I Do Care' or Cleanliness certificate, health, Safety, and Environmentally Sustainable (CHSE) issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenkraf) in November 2020. The Hotel’s Standard Operating Procedure has been updated and must be followed by all staff and guests. The addition of hand washing basins, hand sanitizers, and signs to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have been implemented. Guests are required to have their temperature checked and wash their hands before entering the hotel area. Signs for the mandatory wearing of masks, diligent hand washing, and social distancing have been placed at many points in the hotel area. The sterilization and disinfection process is routinely carried out when guests leave and rooms will be marked if they have passed the process. All staff are required to carry out testing using Rapid Antigen on a regular basis. These efforts will surely help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The hope of The Haven Bali Seminyak when things start to return to normal is that foreign and domestic guests can start visiting the Island of the Gods as usual, so that the Legian and Seminyak areas come back to life. Various nearby tourist sites in Seminyak, such as Kuta Beach and Tanah Lot with its exotic temples, are a part of the local heritage. The Haven Bali Seminyak cannot wait to start doing activities as planned, without obstructions from the pandemic.