Paving Paradise: Sustainable Tourism in BaliEnchanted island caught between need for income and overtourism
By: Ainur Rohmah
Thriving on tourism, Bali is a captivating island paradise, one of the most famous in the world, with most of its residents relying on vacationers for their livelihood while trying to preserve the gentle beauty and spirituality that for decades has drawn would-be mystics to its shores. Contributing a staggering 50 percent – roughly US$10 billion annually – to Indonesia's tourism revenue, Bali's economic engine is fueled by its mesmerizing allure.
Lush rice terraces, stunning beaches, a vibrant Hindu culture, and renowned hospitality have long enchanted visitors, offering a unique blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and rejuvenating experiences. Bali's popularity peaked in 2018 and 2019, welcoming a record-breaking six million foreign tourists each year. But today the concern is that there are too many of them, and that has the island caught in a paradox. The Indonesian government in Jakarta, eager to revive a sector heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, remains aggressively focused on restoring tourism, particularly in Bali at time when the island is concerned that tourism is exceeding its capacity to handle the hordes and leading to increasing complaints about overcrowded, dirty, congested tourist centers such as Nusa Dua and Sanur and Kuta Beaches, where thousands of often-drunk revelers wreak havoc.
The pandemic dealt a severe blow. With international travel restrictions and a decline in domestic tourism, Central Statistics Agency statistics show that unemployment in Bali skyrocketed by 268 percent in 2020 over 2019. The number of unemployed individuals rose from 39,288 to a staggering 144,500, an economic hardship that caused poverty to rise steeply from around 160,000 in 2019 to 201,970 in March 2021 in an island population of about 4 million. In 2020, strict restrictions and travel bans imposed to control the virus resulted in only 1 million foreign visitors, a mere fraction of the usual numbers. The year 2021 saw continued restrictions, with a negligible number of just 51 foreign tourists visiting the island. However, with the gradual easing of restrictions in 2022, tourism began to show signs of recovery, rising to 2.1 million and then, with the island reopening more widely to international tourism, Bali welcomed more than 5 million foreign tourists in 2023, a remarkable comeback. Domestic tourism also flourished, with more than 9 million local tourists in the same year. The surge in arrivals, however, presents new challenges. While most come to enjoy Bali's beauty, some foreign nationals seek work opportunities, which may not align with local regulations. Additionally, inappropriate behavior at sacred sites has led to deportations. This has sparked discussions about responsible tourism and Bali's carrying capacity. Despite tourism not fully recovering, deportation figures rose significantly, with 340 foreigners primarily from Russia, the United States, Britain, and Nigeria removed in 2023 compared to 188 in 2022. In response, the government has implemented stricter supervision and introduced visa-on-arrival restrictions for citizens of 86 countries. Local media outlets, including Kompas and Tempo, recently cited a report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) identifying Bali as one of the tourist destinations experiencing overtourism for the period January to November 2023. The WTTC predicts that the recovering global tourism sector could generate US$9.5 trillion, a 95 percent increase compared to pre-pandemic levels. However, the report warns that this significant growth coincides with potential negative impacts associated with overtourism, a phenomenon that has already burdened several destinations. While tourism undeniably brings economic benefits to countries, overtourism presents a multitude of social, environmental, and cultural challenges that demand immediate attention and action. Reports highlighted the problems in Bali including irresponsible behavior, excessive groundwater consumption, land acquisition for tourist infrastructure, plastic pollution, and severe traffic congestion. The Kuta and Legian beaches are inundated with up to 60 tonnes of plastic trash each year.
Chusmeru, a researcher at Jenderal Soedirman University, recently said overtourism in Bali would result in increased environmental and ecosystem damage. Not long ago a video went viral showing workers attempting to cut down a large tree estimated to be hundreds of years old to build a beach club, an action that provoked public anger. Critics say that the massive development of tourism and leisure areas without paying attention to environmental sustainability has contributed to reduced green open space, resulting in a decrease in water absorption. The Chusmeru report said overtourism poses significant economic and social challenges for local communities. Critics argue that the government prioritizes tourism development for investors, neglecting the needs of residents. Low wages amidst rising food costs create a widening economic gap, leaving locals feeling squeezed out of their own land. The influx of tourists further exacerbates tensions, as some visitors disregard local customs and traditions, causing discomfort among residents. This disconnect between booming tourism and stagnant local prosperity is a recipe for social unrest. But even as overtourism has caused concerns for more than a year, the Indonesian government claims it’s not a problem. Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy in Jakarta, argued that crowds of tourists generally occur at tourist spots in the southern part of the island, not Bali as a whole. "Everything is concentrated only in Nusa Dua and southern Bali, so we can see a significant increase in burden," said Uno, adding that spreading tourism out is a big job for his ministry.
I Putu Anom, an authority on tourism from Udayana University in Bali, confirmed that tourist density does occur on the southern island of Bali, where famous destinations such as Kuta, Sanur, and Nusa Dua are located. “During peak season, only the southern part of Bali is busy. "Meanwhile, other parts of Bali are not too busy," said Anom. He believes that this condition occurs because infrastructure development on the island of Bali is uneven so that most tourist activities are centered in the southern part of the island. "The location of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport is in southern Bali, as are restaurants, resorts, and luxury hotels located in Nusa Dua, North Kuta, Central Kuta, and South Kuta, which are part of southern Bali,” he said. “Benoa Harbor, which is a crossing point from the Three Gilis in Lombok island, is also in southern Bali. This is not just a problem of overtourism, but of uneven development." Anom pointed out that the current tourism boom has exposed its Achilles' heel: waste management and insufficient public infrastructure. He argued for a more balanced approach to development. Instead of focusing solely on creating new tourist destinations, the government should prioritize upgrading public services that directly impact tourist comfort. Anom acknowledged the ongoing debate. But regardless of its current state, he emphasized the need for continuing improvement. Equitable distribution of infrastructure development across the island, a more robust waste management system and policies that promote environmental sustainability are crucial, he said, to ensure that Bali's growth doesn't come at the expense of the very beauty and unique character that attracts tourists in the first place. This is among the stories/excerpts we choose to make widely available.If you wish to get the full Asia Sentinel experience and access more exclusive content, please do subscribe to us for US$10/month or US$100/year.
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