Tourism and Hospitality: East Kalimantan’s New Assets
Balikpapan and East Kalimantan are not only known as regions rich in oil, gas, and coal, but are also developing as centers for the tourism and hospitality sectors. Along the coast from Balikpapan to Berau, new hotels and resorts continue to emerge. Grand Jatra Hotel, Blue Sky, Swiss-Belhotel, and boutique hotels in Samarinda are testament to the increasingly vibrant growth of the hospitality industry.
Meanwhile, tourist destinations like Lamaru Beach, Bangkirai Hill, and the Derawan Islands in Berau are increasingly attracting domestic and international tourists. All of this demonstrates the significant potential of East Kalimantan’s tourism sector to become a new economic backbone beyond the mining and oil and gas sectors.
However, behind this potential lies significant risks that business owners often overlook. Fires in hotel kitchens, the frequent flooding in Balikpapan, guest injuries in swimming pools, or the loss of tourist belongings are all real risks that can disrupt business continuity. This is where professionally designed risk management and insurance coverage become crucial.
- Liberty and General Insurance Broker (L&G) is here to bridge this need. As a professional insurance broker with experience serving industries throughout Indonesia, including East Kalimantan, L&G provides appropriate, efficient, and digitally accessible insurance solutions—even for hotels and resorts located far from city centers.
Real Risks in the Hotel and Tourism Sector
The hospitality and tourism industry has a unique risk profile because it involves many parties — guests, employees, vendors, and even third parties such as tour or transportation providers.
Some of the main risks that need to be anticipated include:
- Fire and Property Damage
Hotel and restaurant kitchens are one of the most vulnerable areas. An electrical short circuit, a leaking gas cylinder, or even a minor oversight can cause significant losses. Several years ago, a hotel in the Klandasan area of Balikpapan had to close for three months due to a kitchen fire that damaged the restaurant and conference room.
- Floods and Natural Disasters
Heavy rainfall in Balikpapan and Samarinda often causes flooding, damaging hotel equipment, basements, and electrical systems. Without adequate property insurance, restoration costs can reach billions of rupiah.
- Accidents and Legal Liability
Guests who suffer injuries on hotel premises, such as slipping in the pool or falling down stairs, can sue for damages. Such cases often result in significant legal and reputational damage to hotel owners.
- Lost Guest Items and Security
Even if a hotel implements security standards, the risk of losing guest belongings remains. Without public liability insurance, potential losses can jeopardize a business’s reputation.
- Business Interruption
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a costly lesson for the tourism sector. When hotels are unable to operate due to restrictions or facility damage, revenues cease while operating costs remain. Business interruption insurance is crucial to address these situations.
The Impact of Losses Without Insurance Coverage
Without adequate insurance coverage, hotel and tourism businesses bear the full risk themselves. Beyond the physical losses from fire or flood, there are indirect losses that are often much greater: lost customers, damaged reputations, and loss of investor confidence.
For example, a resort in Derawan experienced damage to its power generator due to a lightning strike. As a result, resort operations were halted for nearly two weeks, resulting in the cancellation of dozens of reservations and losses amounting to hundreds of millions of rupiah. If the resort had Business Interruption Insurance, the loss of revenue during the recovery period could have been compensated by insurance.
Important Types of Insurance for Hotel and Tourism Businesses
- Property All Risks (PAR) Insurance
Protecting hotel buildings, villas, resorts, and all furniture, equipment, and facilities from the risk of fire, flood, earthquake, explosion, and damage due to accidents.
- Business Interruption (BI) Insurance
Provides compensation for lost income when a business has to temporarily stop due to risks covered by a property policy.
- Public Liability (TPL) Insurance
Protects hotel owners from third-party lawsuits (guests, visitors, or contractors) resulting from injury or property damage.
Money Insurance dan Fidelity Guarantee
It is important for hotels with high cash transactions to protect money from theft or employee fraud.
- Plate Glass Insurance
Protect large glass in lobbies or restaurants from damage due to accidents, vandalism, or disasters.
- Personal Accident Insurance
This insurance can be provided to hotel employees and tourists in tour packages, providing 24-hour personal accident protection.
With the right combination of policies, hotels and resorts can ensure operations continue to run smoothly, even in the event of an unexpected event.
Why Insurance Brokers Are More Profitable Than Going Directly to Insurance
Many business owners in Balikpapan still believe that purchasing insurance directly from an insurance company is more practical. However, this approach often leads to selecting policies that don’t meet their needs.
Insurance brokers like PT. Liberty and General Insurance Broker (L&G) work solely in the interests of their clients, not the insurance companies. L&G helps analyze risk profiles, compare offers from leading insurance companies, and select the most efficient solution.
Other advantages of using a broker:
- Claims assistance: L&G helps prepare documents and negotiate to ensure clients receive the appropriate claim payment.
- Annual policy audit and review: ensuring coverage remains relevant to business developments.
- Regular risk consultation: providing advice on prevention and improvement of security systems.
For example, a hotel in Samarinda successfully resolved a flood claim worth Rp 1.8 billion within two months thanks to direct assistance from the L&G team. Without broker support, the claims process can often drag on.
Digital Technology: Brokers Are Now Accessible from Anywhere
With technological advancements, distance is no longer an issue. Hotel owners in Berau or tour operators in East Kutai can now consult directly with the L&G team through a digital system.
Through the online platform, clients can:
- Submitting new offers and policies,
- Reporting a claim,
- Monitor policy status,
- And receive risk analysis reports in real time.
One resort client in Tanjung Redeb, Berau, successfully utilized this system to process claims for damage to a tour boat without having to visit a branch office — efficient and transparent.
Building a Risk Management Culture in the Tourism Sector
In addition to financial protection, it’s also important to build a culture of risk management at every level of hotel and tourism operations. Business owners need to ensure:
- Regular occupational safety training for staff,
- Facilities cleanliness and safety standards,
- Periodic inspection of electrical and gas systems,
- Implementation of evacuation and emergency response SOPs.
The East Kalimantan Tourism Office, along with associations like the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) and the Indonesian Association of Indonesian Tourists (ASITA), can also play an active role in raising awareness of the importance of insurance. L&G Insurance Broker is committed to supporting risk education programs for tourism MSMEs through webinars and online training.
Conclusion: Insurance is not an expense, but a sustainable investment.
The tourism industry in Balikpapan and East Kalimantan is the future of the regional economy. However, this enormous potential can only be sustained if protected by a solid risk management and insurance system.
With the support of PT. Liberty and General Insurance Broker (L&G), hotel, resort, and tourism businesses no longer need to worry about facing significant risks alone. Through a professional approach, technical support, and digital access, L&G helps ensure every business in East Kalimantan’s tourism sector remains safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Now is the time for entrepreneurs in Balikpapan, Samarinda, and Berau to view insurance not as a burden, but as a strategic investment to protect their assets, reputation, and the future of their businesses.
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DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME AND SECURE YOUR FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS WITH THE RIGHT INSURANCE.
HOTLINE L&G 24 JAM: 0811-8507-773(CALL – WHATSAPP – SMS)
Website: lngrisk.co.id
Email: halo@lngrisk.co.id
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