Coinciding with the opening of the 2007 Pesta Kesenian Bali (Bali Arts Festival), the Bali Shanti Shanti Shanti tagline was officially launched by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the island’s new tourism branding. This new branding replaced the previous one, Bali Is My Life.

Quoted from TTG Asia, the Bali branding team coordinator, Ms. Teguh Mahasari explained the branding direction and decision, saying: “the branding was initiated by the Bali Governor not just to attract international tourists, but it also aims to inspire the Balinese themselves to achieve the ideal Bali. We cannot deny the fact that the island is facing problems, such as with environment, infrastructure and excessive commercial development. This is something locals need to address to achieve what Hinduism teaches us: “Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.”

This branding, however, lasted only 10 years, as it was replaced by ‘Bali the Islands of Gods’.

Head of the Bali Regional Tourism Office, Anak Agung Gede Yuniartha Putra, said ‘Bali The Island of Gods’ will replace the previous Bali tourism branding, namely ‘Bali Shanti’. The new Bali tourism logo which will be used as a tourism promotion inserts a map of the island of Bali with the symbol of a temple (Meru) on a red background, and rejuna buds.

“We entered Bali (picture of the island) because it has legs, it’s beautiful. This is purely an agreement of all tourism stakeholders and the government. The rejuna flower is a symbol of Bali. Previously, Japanese flowers appeared but the rejuna shoots are far more famous. Meru symbolizes The Island of Gods,” he explained. According to him, this designation has been known since the 1930s.