M

ore villages in Bali will participate in promoting the development of community-based ecotourism by joining the Village Ecotourism Network (JED), which has so far only reached four villages.

The JED, along with Bali-based environmental NGO Wisnu Foundation, is set to establish an association of ecotourism villages this month to assist more villages in developing their natural tourism potential.

JED manager Gede Astana said Thursday that the association, the Bali Ecology Tourism Villages, would provide technical assistance and capacity-building facilities for the new participating villages.

"The association will also act as a certification body to verify whether a village has met the accepted standards of ecotourism," he said.

He said JED welcomes more villages that have a similar attitude toecotourism to join in the association.

Currently, JED manages four villages: Kiadan Pelaga in Badung regency, Nusa Ceningan in Klungkung regency, and Tenganan Pegringsingan and Dukuh Sibetan in Karangasem regency.

Wisnu Foundation director Made Suarnatha said 20 villages had expressed an interest in joining the network and developing their areas as ecotourism destinations.

"It is their own initiative to develop their natural potentials. We will just give them technical assistance, such as training villagers to be tour guides," Suarnatha said.

The 20 villages include Purbayu in Karangasem; Les, Sudaji, Pemuteran and Sumber Klampok in Singaraja; Kaliaka and Perancak in Negara; and Braban, Sekartaji and Angkah in Tabanan.

"Each village already has their own interesting aspects that they can promote to tourists, but we need to build their capacity to meet the standards," Suarnatha said.

He added the JED team had surveyed some villages to check their level of preparation.

He said developing community-based ecotourism was essential to providing more benefits to local people as the tourism sector in Bali had been dominated by private sector and big businesses.

"Developing community-based ecotourism also means giving equality of rights in tourism sector, where the community - the one who take care of the environment - receive the greatest benefits."

He said the potential of ecotourism in many villages in the resort island had yet to be well exposed due to the lack of support from the government.

Established in 2002, the JED has built networks in some countries to promote ecotourism in Bali.

The network has been established in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Latin America.