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Overtourism or balanced development? Bali airport plan sparks debate
Long Indonesia’s premier tourist destination, Bali keeps getting all the attention, and ongoing government initiatives, rather than spread out development across the country, further cement the island’s dominance, to the extent that many now worry about overtourism.
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Tourists walk to a pick-up point on Sanur beach in Denpasar, Bali, after returning from the neighboring island of Nusa Penida. (JP/Zul Trio Anggono)
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overnment initiatives to expand infrastructure will cement Bali’s status as Indonesia’s premier tourist destination rather than spread out development across the country, to the extent that many now worry about overtourism on the island.
In a visit to Denpasar, Bali, on Sunday, President Prabowo Subianto vowed to continue the development of a new airport in the island’s north, claiming it would help turn the province into a “new Singapore or new Hong Kong”.
The head of the Bali Tourism Office, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, has thrown his support behind the plan, though he also noted it would need to be reviewed further.
He argued that the new airport in Buleleng regency would help spread tourism more evenly across the island, alleviating overcrowding and traffic congestion in the southern region.
“The central government’s decision to build the new airport must have undergone a preliminary assessment,” he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, adding that safety had to be the priority in the airport’s development, with advanced technology to ensure there were no risks for local sites.
Tjok said the new airport would have an “economic multiplier effect” and increase Bali’s accessibility, which would contribute to the island’s growing tourism industry.
The plan for the new Bali airport, however, has sparked debate, both in the political elite and among local people. The project was proposed in 2016 but was cut from the national strategic projects (PSN) list in 2022 by then-president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo amid a lack of political support.
