DENPASAR (indo.com): Heinz Van Holsen has been chosen as one of twenty-one most distinguished people in tourism industry in Bali this year. He is one of many foreigners who has chosen Bali as his second mother land. His contribution to this island is hard to estimate.

As a professional chef in some famous hotels, he has developed Bali's food and made it "go international". He helps to promote Bali by touring around the world introducing Bali via its food.

He flavors the meals based on the European taste without masking the original taste, and standardizes procedures to process the food with an international health standard. 

His work attracts many foreigners to visit his "Bumbu Bali" restaurant in Tanjung Benoa to taste Bali's food to an international standard with friendly Balinese' service. And some of them follow the cooking class to learn how to make Bali's food in his restaurant under Heinz and his staff's instruction.

Beside being successful with his Bumbu Bali restaurant, he is also one of the volunteers saving turtles on this island. To decrease turtle slaughtering on this island, he often goes to market to buy turtles and take care of the before letting them back in the ocean. His commitment and his effort already attract some volunteers who are active in saving turtles independently.

"I buy the turtles at the seller's price" Heinz says. I believe that as the price increases and the turtle becomes very expensive, so people will move to an alternative," he explains. "I know it's an eccentric idea but I believe it will work."

He also provides some boxes and ponds as a temporary place for turtles before they are given back to their real habitat. Now people can see and join Heinz in saving turtles by visit his restaurant in Tanjung Benoa to buy and let out turtles to the ocean every Tuesday morning.



As a person who has spent a long time on this island, he is optimistic about Bali's future. He believes that Bali has to be one of the most precious tourist destination in Asia. "I think Bali is getting better and better everyday," he said, "And you can help by buying and releasing a turtle every Tuesday morning."