Bali is urged to renew its commitment to protecting green landscapes and the island’s cultural heritage. The calls come from respected tourism professor Dr. I Wayan Suardana, SST.Par., M.Par., from Udayana University in Denpasar.
The lecturer is urgently calling for leaders to protect Bali’s forest and upstream landscapes as development in coastal regions booms.
Speaking to reporters, Dr. I Wayan Suardana, who is the Dean of the Faculty of Tourism at Udayana University, stated that the provincial government’s role in maintaining ecosystem balance and tourism needs is not functioning as well as it could. He noted that investor interests are dominating over the need to protect and conserve the natural landscape. Dr Suardana shared, “It’s truly unfortunate that Bali’s tourism sector is experiencing extraordinary degradation, driven by traffic jams, waste, and the exploitation of forests and lakes.”
He also criticized both the central and provincial governments for not working coherently to ensure the success of major projects and uphold the regulations in place to protect the environment. This, he feels, is leading to unregulated tourism development across the island, which threatens both the landscape and local community wellbeing.
Dr Suardana shared, “The synchronization is not clearly visible, and overlapping and waiting between the central and regional governments are the main factors that hinder evaluation and oversight, which should be carried out periodically.”
Dr Suardana called for the Bali Provincial Government to take firm action against those found to be violating building permits and business operation licenses. He explained, “If any individuals are involved, they must be cleared. The government must be firm and impartial. Bali is small, and it must be well-preserved because its tourism potential lies solely in its uniqueness and natural balance.”
In his observation, Dr Suardana feels that poor monitoring and supervision of permits and licenses have resulted in development and investment becoming unregulated. He noted, “Supervision isn’t working. Currently, the government only reacts when cases become public on social media.”
His calls are clear: “Bali doesn’t need to clear forests for tourism. True ecotourism utilizes forests without damaging the ecology. Ecotourism should protect forests, not exploit them.”
He wants to see the Bali Provincial Government seriously investing more time, effort, and resources into developing genuinely sustainable tourism initiatives and stricter conservation plans for green areas yet to be touched by tourism.
Dr Suardana concluded, “Tourism should support conservation activities, not use it as a tool for destruction.” Adding “Especially in terms of physical development and permits. The government must be bold and assertive to maintain Bali’s sustainability.”
Bali Governor Wayan Koster has already drafted legislation that will see a ban on the development of new tourism infrastructure in many areas of the island starting in 2026.
However, this policy is only drafted and not yet brought into effect, and does not cover the most popular areas for development, such as Badung Regency, home to resort areas such as Uluwatu, Canggu, Seminyak, Legian, and Kuta.
This was confirmed back in July 2025 when Governor Koster stated that the six regency leaders who had endorsed this step were from Tabanan, Jembrana, Buleleng, Bangli, Karangasem, and Klungkung.
Dr Suardana’s calls must be listened to if Bali is to be able to hit its targets of being a sustainable tourism destination and for leaders to keep their election promises. His warnings must also be heeded, even in more general terms, too. Earlier this month, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism announced that it will be promoting three specific areas of travel focus to tourists moving forward. This is the promotion of gastronomy, wellness, and maritime tourism across Bali and across the country. All three of these key tourism focus areas rely upon a healthy and thriving set of ecosystems across Bali.
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