Bali Scores Low for Green Tourism

By Barrie | November 20th, 2007 | No Comments

Although voted best island in the world by New York-based Travel and Leisure magazine, when it comes to sustainable tourism, Bali is not doing very well, according to a recent survey.Bali received “world’s best island” in five of the Time and Leisure categories — nature, tourism activities, restaurants, and society. The ranking was based on visitor experiences.

However, a survey in the latest edition of National Geographic Traveler gave Bali a score of 57, which means the island is in moderate trouble. In the National Geographic study, input was sought regarding 111 islands worldwide from 500 experts who were asked about sustainable tourism and destination stewardship. For Bali, for each aspect of tourism considered, the survey results ranged from neutral to negative, or consisted of a mixture of negatives and positives.

As such in the National Geographic survey Bali ranked lower than neighboring less tourist-packed Lombok — which received a 62 — but came in equal with Cape Verde Islands, Curacao and Maui, Hawaii. The survey’s Bali panelists pointed to Bali’s extremes: strong culture, beautiful nature, crass commercialism and environmental destruction.

“Bali is a mixed bag of tourism projects that represent the absolute worst (Kuta) in sustainable travel and some of the best (Ubud).”

“In spite of the recent terrorist events, Bali is still an excellent destination. Magnificent rice-terraced landscapes. Gentle, warm people. The culture is strong, vivid, and vibrant. Facilities are varied, catering to many tastes. However, beaches are not good, and the environment is under threat from destruction of reefs and mangroves, linear development, salt water intrusion, etc.”

Head of the Bali Chapter of Indonesia Environmental Forum (Walhi) Ni Nyoman Sri Widiyanti said Friday sustainable tourism had yet to catch on. The island is suffering from rapid beach erosion, forest destruction, and air and water pollution. In more than 140 places, the island’s beaches are eroded. Irresponsible tourism development in Bali has jeopardized the environment.

Mass tourism on the island over the last three decades has caused considerable environmental damage to beaches and coastal areas. In 2006 erosion was in progress along almost a quarter of Bali’s 436-kilometer coastline, having nearly doubled over a 19- year period, according to the Agency for the Conservation and Restoration of River and Coastal Areas at the Public Works Ministry.

“Officials do not yet have an environmental mindset. Although regulations to protect the environment are present, law enforcement is minimal,” she said.

“Regulations are easily bent for tourism’s sake, with constructions of hotels and villas in places that are not designated for them.”
Widiyanti said that focusing on tourism development alone without considering environmental impact would put the island’s tourism industry at risk.

“It’s obvious that environmental destruction will kill the tourism industry.”

She said, in principle, environmental protection was respected: by the government in regulations and the community through local wisdom.

“The problem lies in implementation. The government and the community should realize that the island need’s sustainable tourism to survive.”

Prodita Sabarini