Mr. Jimmy Gunawan, CEO of Alaya Hotels & Resorts, recently celebrated his 40th birthday in true Balinese style on two separate occasions together with his beloved family and all staff members. The first event was held at Alaya Dedaun Kuta on 15th April 2019 and everyone was invited to enjoy a shared Megibung Lunch. The next party took placed at Alaya Resort Ubud on 18th April 2019 whereby staff members also got to take pleasure in an artistically arranged Megibung Lunch. According to Mr. Jimmy, both celebrations were the manifestation of his gratitude to God Almighty and an expression of deep gratitude to all employees for their continued dedication to the company.

For the Balinese, the spirit of togetherness can be witnessed particularly during religious ceremonies and social events. Megibung is one such activity that demonstrates a sense of community and togetherness. It is essentially a communal dining experience where people sit as a group on the ground and traditionally share food from a large plate or piece of banana leaf. This village custom, which originated in Karangasem regency, is not only about sharing food, it is also an opportunity to engage in light conversation and get to know each other better. The term Megibung derives from the Balinese word “gibung”, which means to “share with each other”. By hosting both Megibung Lunches for his birthday, Mr. Jimmy hopes that togetherness and family values are always interwoven within the Alaya work environment.

During his birthday speech, Mr. Jimmy explained that Alaya means home and that he intends to honour this definition by creating a real home in every aspect for everyone. He is passionate about the happiness of all staff members and he has gone to great lengths to ensure that Alaya feels like a second home. This is deeply rooted in the belief that a content team will provide excellent service that comes from the heart and this in turn stimulates guest satisfaction.