BALI EXPERIENCE POPULAR AND FAVORITE INDONESIAN TOURISM ~ Asia Tour and Tourism

The island of Bali is probably the best-known tourist destination in Indonesia. Bali is the most popular spot for leisure activities given its exceptional tourist offerings. Bali a small diamond shaped island nestled between the Indian and Pacific Ocean is part of the Indonesian archipelago that lies 8 to 9 degrees South of the equator between Java in the West and Lombok in the East. The island covers a small area of only 5,632 square kilometres where vast chains of volcanic mountains between 1,350 meters and 3,000 meters high stretch across from the West to East end. Surrounded with beautiful beaches, the island holds lush tropical forests, pristine crater lakes, fast flowing rivers and picturesque rice terraces. The South coast consists of white sand beaches, while in other parts of the island the beaches are covered with exotic black volcanic sand.

The beauty of Bali is also enriched by the sincerity of its people. The population has grown to over 3.1 million people with an overwhelming majority of Hindus. The island’s largest city and administrative centre is the fast growing Denpasar with population of over 530,000. Tourism is spreading rapidly in all directions, making it the largest industry to date. In Bali. the traditional tourism area includes a vast area between Denpasar, Kuta, Sanur and Ubud. Smaller towns such as Jimbaran, Tuban, Legian, Seminyak, and Canggu are also developing into busy tourist areas. In the other hand, the Nusa Dua area with its five star hotel compound represents a
more modern approach to tourism.

Historically, the genuine interest for Bali began during the Dutch conquest where the Colonial government strove to protect and promote Bali as a living museum following the respect for the indigenous tradition and culture. This initiative resulted in the arrival of wealthy aristocrats and intellectuals during the early 1920s that came from all around the world to sample the so-called last paradise. After independence and the instigation of the New Order, the era of mass tourism opened in Bali. Later, the development of infrastructure and the swift response of the Balinese people towards the industry have positioned Bali as the focal point of the development of Indonesian tourism.

Currently, large proportion of tourists and visitors alike to Indonesia, spend most of their time in Bali. During the year 2001, over 1.3 million visitors came to Bali with an average length of stay of 11 days and an average spending of US$ 77,35 per day. It is predicted that in the year 2003 the numbers of visitor will decline moderately following the aftermath of the Bali Bombings in Kuta 2002 and the Irak crisis. However, the last few months has shown more promising trends particularly after the detention of the individuals responsible behind the Bali bombings.

In this expanding tourism industry, home and small-scale industries are thriving especially in the producing of handicrafts and souvenirs for local consumption and exports with main buyers coming from the United States Europe and Japan. The textile, garment, and handicraft industry are key aspects of Bali’s export earnings. In the year 2000 craft industry exports amounted to US $ 348 million. From the total export earnings of US $ 406 million, the contribution of craft industries amounts to 85,58 %. With this significance, the development of
craft industry in Bali at present and in the future is hoped to be come a model of culture industry for others.

Tourism in Bali creates employment and has enormous potentials in the sustainable development of economy, environment and social culture. Tourism has become a realistic option for development in many areas. Therefore, there is a strong likelihood that the tourism industry will continue to grow globally over the short to medium term. Of course mismanagement can have a harmful effect particularly damage to the environment and local culture. The challenge is to manage the future growth of the industry in order to minimize negative impacts on the environment and host communities whilst maximizing the benefits it brings in terms economic,
social and cultural development.

BALI TOURISM MAP