Bali continues to attract tourists with its colourful culture, friendly people and stunning scenery, but there may be no more new hotel rooms for them.
Indonesia will stop building new hotels in some areas of Bali to prevent the island’s overdevelopment and preserve agricultural land.
Tourism has rebounded in Bali after the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is growing concern about the toll tourists take on the infrastructure, culture, and environment.
Bali’s interim governor Sang Made Mahendra Jaya said he had submitted a proposal to the central government to suspend construction in four busy areas on the island: Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar and Tabanan, reports the South China Morning Post.
‘Ensure rice fields are not transformed into villas’
“We need to ensure that rice fields are not transformed into villas,” he said.
Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno said the government had agreed to a moratorium, according to the state news agency, Antara.
It is not yet clear when the restrictions will come into effect and for how long.
However, Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan has been quoted as saying the moratorium could remain in place for up to a decade.
The proposed restriction follows an increase in the number of hotels in Bali from 507 in 2019 to 541 last year.
Hotel accommodation rose in tandem with tourist arrivals after the end of the pandemic restrictions.
Some 2.9 million foreign visitors entered the island through Bali airport in the first half of this year, according to Indonesia’s statistics bureau.
The tourism boom has not been an unmixed blessing. The surge in visitors has led to problems, including increased traffic and construction.
Bali looking to suspend construction of new hotels in southern region as overdevelopment, overtourism bite https://t.co/t4NjldjYid pic.twitter.com/oF8kiGiXeS
— CNA (@ChannelNewsAsia) September 6, 2024
Problem visitors
Some of the visitors themselves are a problem.
“Videos of foreigners misbehaving and carrying out stunts for social media – posing naked at sacred sites, stripping off and gatecrashing a temple dance performance, and flashing on a motorbike – have frequently gone viral, provoking anger among local residents and Indonesians,: the Guardian reports.
The interim governor said “inappropriate behaviour” by tourists was a reason for the proposed construction curbs.
About 200,000 foreigners reportedly live in Bali, contributing to problems such as crime, over-development and competition for jobs, according to senior minister Luhut.
Some 340 foreigners were deported from Bali last year for offences that included overstaying visas, working illegally, and engaging in inappropriate behaviour at sacred sites.
“We want quality tourism. We must ensure that Balinese culture is preserved because without it, tourism would not thrive. This needs to be managed properly,” said Luhut.
In February, a tourism tax of 150,000 rupiah ($9) was introduced for foreigners entering Bali to help protect its culture.
Tourism minister Sandiaga Uno has warned that South Bali was close to overtourism.
“A 10% increase could push us into that territory. We must avoid a situation like Barcelona, where tourists became public enemies,” he said, reported the national news agency Antara.