The small island of Bali is predicted to reach saturation point, when it will no longer be able to accommodate more visitors due to its limited carrying capacity, resources and space.
I Nyoman Sukma Arida, a lecturer at Udayana University’s School of Tourism, said Bali currently had to carry the heavy burden of various development projects, along with rapid modernization in people’s lives.
“There have been crucial changes in Balinese culture and the lives of its people due to the flood of tourists and tourism development,” Arida said.
Bali is becoming crowded, with a population exceeding 4 million, as well as the huge influx of 4 million foreign tourists and around 6 million local visitors vacationing on the island each year.
“Massive exploitation of water and food resources is taking place,” he said.
A study revealed that one occupied hotel room in Badung regency, the island’s richest regency, required 1,500 liters of water per day, far above the average per capita demand for clean water of only 120 liters per day.
The Bali Hotel Association recently revealed its member hotels needed 50,000 cubic meters of clean water every day.
Population and tourism growth has also affected the island’s agricultural areas, which are vanishing to make way for various residential and tourism developments.
Arida said there were some proposals to find solutions to Bali’s social, economic, cultural and environmental problems.
“Bali has proposed the implementation of a special autonomous government system, in which the province would receive a special funding allocation from the central government to manage its government and its resources,” he said.
“But representatives of the Balinese government and society failed to convince the central government of the urgency to implement special regional autonomy, which was expected to curb uncontrolled development programs and to preserve the island’s culture and nature.”
Bali is reaching saturation as tourist hub | The Jakarta Post
I Nyoman Sukma Arida, a lecturer at Udayana University’s School of Tourism, said Bali currently had to carry the heavy burden of various development projects, along with rapid modernization in people’s lives.
“There have been crucial changes in Balinese culture and the lives of its people due to the flood of tourists and tourism development,” Arida said.
Bali is becoming crowded, with a population exceeding 4 million, as well as the huge influx of 4 million foreign tourists and around 6 million local visitors vacationing on the island each year.
“Massive exploitation of water and food resources is taking place,” he said.
A study revealed that one occupied hotel room in Badung regency, the island’s richest regency, required 1,500 liters of water per day, far above the average per capita demand for clean water of only 120 liters per day.
The Bali Hotel Association recently revealed its member hotels needed 50,000 cubic meters of clean water every day.
Population and tourism growth has also affected the island’s agricultural areas, which are vanishing to make way for various residential and tourism developments.
Arida said there were some proposals to find solutions to Bali’s social, economic, cultural and environmental problems.
“Bali has proposed the implementation of a special autonomous government system, in which the province would receive a special funding allocation from the central government to manage its government and its resources,” he said.
“But representatives of the Balinese government and society failed to convince the central government of the urgency to implement special regional autonomy, which was expected to curb uncontrolled development programs and to preserve the island’s culture and nature.”
Bali is reaching saturation as tourist hub | The Jakarta Post
