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Bali officials are petitioning the government to grant the province special autonomous tourism status. Local leaders argue that this would help them manage the island sustainably, ensuring environmental prosperity and benefiting local residents.
Bali's designation as a special autonomous tourism zone aims to manage all tourism development options comprehensively and uniformly under a single authority. This ensures that all tourism plans and decisions are implemented systematically and in a coordinated manner.
Bali became a special autonomous region for tourism with the aim of managing all tourism development options.
Currently, Bali is developing rapidly but lacks scale and sustainability due to inconsistencies in spatial planning and construction permits. These plans and permits are often granted without a comprehensive and unified vision, leading to uneven and unsustainable development.
The head of Denpasar's One-Stop Integrated Services and Investment, Ida Bagus Benny Pidada Rurus, pointed out that one clear example of this lack of uniformity is the way hotel and accommodation business licenses are issued in Bali. Currently, these licenses are granted without a unified overall plan, leading to chaos and a lack of control in the development of tourism facilities.
Tourism in Bali is growing rapidly, attracting many visitors.
If granted special autonomous status, Bali would have greater autonomy in managing and developing its tourism industry. This would not only help protect the island's environment and natural resources but also boost economic prosperity and improve the quality of life for local residents. Planning and licensing decisions would be made in a unified and long-term manner, ensuring that Bali's development is sustainable and benefits all stakeholders.
Boasting stunning natural landscapes with pristine beaches and affordable prices, Bali has long been one of the most popular tourist destinations in Indonesia and Asia, welcoming 11.4 million visitors in 2023. In 2024, the government aims to welcome 14 million visitors.
Data from the Bali Statistics Agency shows that the number of visitors to the island reached nearly 470,000 in March, an increase of more than 3% compared to February. April was the busiest month of 2024 for Bali's airport, with over 1.1 million international passengers and more than 830,000 domestic visitors.
