Bali Received Over $51 Million In Infrastructural Developments To Host G20 Summit

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As the G20 Summit has been and gone, it is now time for organizers, politicians, and people in Bali to reflect on the impact the conference has had on the island. The G20 Summit has been noted as an overall success. Figures are now being released to demonstrate how much economic benefit the event has brought Bali. 

According to Indonesia’s national news agency, Anatara, the G20 Summit bought over IDR 800 billion in infrastructural developments. This is over USD 51 million. Bali Governor Wayan Koster has confirmed the figure. 

Koster told the press, “The G20 Summit has brought direct and indirect benefits [for Bali]. One of the direct benefits was that Bali gained infrastructure and facility developments valued at more than IDR 800 billion from the state budget”. 

Key projects receiving investment from the G20 budget included I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. Bali’s online commercial airport developed a new VVIP Terminal for the event and serious renovations to the cargo terminal. The terminal building received an additional fast-track lane for arrivals for diplomatic events. 

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Koster is proud as punch with the new airport developments. “The VVIP terminal is outstanding. The president also said that [the terminal] is stunning, and I believe [the VVIP terminal] is the best in Indonesia and even the world. The terminal was granted to the Bali authority”.

President Joko Widodo formally inaugurated the VVIP Terminal on the 10th of November. The official opening also saw Jokwi inaugurate the new developments at Sanur Port, Sampalan Port, and Bias Munjul Port, which all directly impact tourists’ experiences. 

Other areas that received a financial boost include the mangrove conservation project at Ngurah Rai Grand Forest Park. One of the final public events of the G20 Summit was held at the conservation reserve. World leaders joined together to plant mangrove trees in the reforestation project, including Widod, Narendra Modi, Joe Biden, and Ursula von Der Leyen. 

Bali leaders spread the budget across many of the island’s major infrastructural and cultural monuments, including the Bali Mandara Toll Road. The I Gusti Ngurah Rai Statue in Tuban and Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park all received an injection of funds to ensure they were ready to be presented to world leaders. 

During his speech, Governor Koster shared that he continues to work closely with the National Minister of Public works and Public Housing, Basuki Hadimuljono, to ensure that all infrastructural development projects in Bali stay on track. He said, “[The projects] make Bali much more tidier and more beautiful. Despite being executed (to facilitate) the G20 Summit, it will bolster the Bali tourism ecosystem after the G20 Summit’s completion. It has long-term benefits.”

Koster was open about how much of the provincial government’s annual budget had been invested in preparations for the event. He explained that Bali contributed IDR 3 billion (USD 192,000) to creating and installing penjors, the traditional decorative bamboo poles, that line the streets throughout Bali during the event. An additional IDR 400 million (USD 25,000) was spent on wages for traditional dancers and performers who welcomed delegates and performed at official events. 

Koster concluded, “[Our contributions] are meaningless compared with the Rp800 billion for infrastructure projects in Bali which will have outstanding economic benefits”. It was confirmed by tourism officials shortly after world leaders departed from Bali last week that hotels in the Nusa Dua area would have turned over millions of dollars in profits for their hosting of world leaders and their delegations. 

It has been estimated that hotels used for the G20 in the Nusa Dua area will have cashed in over IDR 30 billion in revenue each in the last week. This converts to around US 1.9 million, with even more hotels across Bali hosting G20-related guests. The Head of the Advisory Council for G20 accommodation, I Nyoman Astama, told reporters, “If the hotel is small and it’s not in Nusa Dua, it can generate IDR 2-3 billion (USD 1.9m) in revenue, that’s good. We’re talking about the period November 14-17, 3 nights and four days”.