BALI VS PHUKET New Convention Center For 2013 APEC

Phuket's planned Convention and Exhibition Center could see competition from Bali who are planning a new 250-hectare complex gear up for 2013's APEC Summit.
Christened the Bali International Park (BIP) is located in the popular Jimbaran area and will have a project cost of USD280 million.
Together with a convention and exhibition center, there will be twenty six luxury villas constructed for the heads of state attending APEC along with a medical facility, art and cultural galleries and dining outlets.
Currently a legal zoning process is underway for the change of use for the land from greenbelt to tourism.
The project is not without controversy according to a recent article in the Jakarta Post who singled out comments from local groups who saw the zoning change as counter to a largely non-implented moratorium for new hotel development in southern Bali.
It further went on to say that over 88% of the existing accommodation supply was consolidated into one part of the island and gave little impetus to an outcry for less developed areas to share in the upshot of tourism.