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Bali tourism expiring: Experts
Experts continue to claim that Bali's tourism industry is on the decline and that the island may become marginalized when the ASEAN charter takes effect in 2015 and makes travel to other regional tourist attractions more affordable for Indonesians
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Experts continue to claim that Bali's tourism industry is on the decline and that the island may become marginalized when the ASEAN charter takes effect in 2015 and makes travel to other regional tourist attractions more affordable for Indonesians.
Daradjatun Kuntjoro Jakti, former coordinating minister for the economy, said Friday that Bali's tourism industry had reached a saturation point that could endanger public livelihood if the administration did not act.
His data shows that Bali's income from foreign tourist has continually dropped to $4.44 billion in 2006 from US$5.74 billion in 2000, despite the rapid development of tourism-related infrastructure projects within the six-year period.
He further cited a continual reduction in foreign tourist's length of stay, from 12.26 days per visit in 2000 to 9.05 days per visit in 2005.
Foreign tourist expenditure per visit also reveals a downturn to $904 in 2005 from $1,135.18 in 2000.
"In other words, looking at the Bali tourism industry is like a person running really fast yet doesn't get anywhere, which looks like he's having a really bad dream," he said.
He cited as reasons for the downturn, a deteriorating environment, deceitful taxi drivers and currency exchangers, an increasing prominence of Western-style buildings and diminishing Balinese culture in Bali.
He said Bali's tourism industry would not survive if nothing was done to address the problems given increasing competition from other ASEAN countries.
"Especially considering that ASEAN will sign the ASEAN charter in 2015, effectively making travel between ASEAN countries cheaper," he said.
"At this rate, Bali will become a tourism destination of yesterday and not of tomorrow. It may not even last 10 years."
His prediction was somewhat in line with a previous statement by Dr. Nyoman Erawan, a noted Balinese economist, who said that Bali's tourism industry could no longer contribute significantly to the island's economic growth.
Erawan urged the island's administration to allocate a greater portion of the budget to other economic sectors, such as agriculture.
Daradjatun, on the other hand, said Bali's tourism industry could still take off if the administration focused its efforts on revitalizing Balinese cultural-based tourism and organizing larger meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibition related-activities.
Dr. I Wayan Ardika, an archeology professor at Udayana University, agreed with Daradjatun that a revitalization of Balinese culture could boost tourism.
