Keen to protect its standing as a leading island destination in Asia, Bali has embarked on a series of measures to lift the quality of tourism, protect the island’s natural assets, and ensure a sustainable future for its people.

Growth vs sustainability

Speaking at the Bali and Beyond Travel Fair 2023, I Putu Winastra, the head of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies in Bali, stressed the importance of unity among tourism stakeholders in determining Bali’s future direction. The goal is to ensure that the benefits of tourism are equitably distributed among travelers, local communities, and the travel industry.

However, this objective faces challenges, including calls from former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and local associations to impose a moratorium on new hotel projects in Bali. Despite these calls, hotel developments on the island persist, raising questions about the necessity for more accommodations. Yet, Bali’s authority over development permits is limited, as they are issued at a higher government level. Consequently, the debate on development limits remains unresolved.

In parallel, Bali Governor Wayan Koster has prohibited access to 22 of the island’s mountains for domestic and international trekkers, a decision contested by local communities and business owners who rely on the mountains and volcanoes for their livelihoods.

Striking a balance for the future

Local tour operators contend that Bali’s governor lacks the authority to prohibit tourists from accessing its peaks, asserting that this falls under local, not provincial jurisdiction.

Bali's governor has introduced rules to prevent tourists from behaving badly. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Ni23

The governor has also introduced a set of regulations aimed at addressing years of misconduct by tourists. His plan includes issuing documents to incoming tourists urging them to respect Balinese culture by dressing modestly in temples, refraining from touching holy trees, avoiding public swearing, refraining from climbing religious structures, and not disrupting Balinese ceremonies.

Despite concerns about hotel overdevelopment and tourist behavior, Bali is rebounding robustly after the pandemic. In May, it welcomed 439,475 international arrivals, marking a 6.8% increase from the previous month. The introduction of a Rp.150,000 (US$10) tourist tax next year may influence these figures, but the governor emphasises that the levy’s proceeds will enhance infrastructure, making travel to Bali more comfortable and safer while preserving Balinese culture and the natural environment.

Embracing the sentiment of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies that the future of Balinese tourism requires the participation of all stakeholders, the governor underscores the necessity for concrete collaborative efforts among all tourism-related parties. Which, surely, is Bali’s biggest challenge.

Hotels without the Instagram kitsch

Amid Bali’s new hotels, Lost Lindenberg champions its unique mantra: “No honeymoon kitsch. No infinity-pool-Insta-architecture. No yoga dogma. No spa cheesiness.” It positions itself as “a new guest collective” distanced from Bali’s mass tourism.

Lost Lindenberg distinguishes itself with a mantra rejecting typical tourist clichés.

Guests, upon arriving in Pekutatan village on Bali’s west coast, follow a path to an Las Vegas-style neon sign wall. Behind a secret door, the resort reveals itself, featuring eight guest rooms in jungle treehouses overlooking a black lava sand beach — a glimpse into Bali’s future as an exclusive, upmarket destination, free from indecent tourist behaviour.

“The idea of luxury is changing, and we are part of that transformation,” says Lost Lindenberg’s general manager, Christine Fiebiger.

While Australia remains one of Bali’s primary markets, a perception among the country’s wealthiest individuals as “Bali is for bogans”, formed over the years due to some Australians’ misbehaviour, may change with the emergence of new and near-new properties like Lost Lindenberg, Raffles Bali, and the Gdas Bali Health and Wellness Resort in Ubud.