Bali’s Heavy Reliance On Tourism For Income Put Island In Vulnerable Position

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Bali’s relationship with tourism is experiencing some turbulence right now.

As the province has just been ranked on a no-travel list due to crowding at top resorts, leaders are discussing how a better balance can be found that will benefit both local communities and tourists. 

Speaking to reporters, the Chairman of the Central Management Board of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI), Akbar Buchari, explained that he wants to see more young people getting involved in agriculture rather than seeking jobs in the tourism sector.

His comments are well intended, yet many feel that he is missing a vital point.

There are few to no high-earning jobs in agriculture in Bali, and the possibilities offered by the tourism sector leave more space for career growth, even if the vast majority of tourism jobs in Bali are low-wage, entry-level jobs.

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Buchari explained, “Young people still choose to work rather than build businesses [and stay] within a tourism comfort zone, for the contribution of the regional economy, so that they [should] want to try not only to tourism but also to build the agricultural sector, help the government in the food security program.” 

Bali’s heavy reliance on tourism has long been a cause for concern, yet even in light of the pandemic, where the tourism sector ground to a halt for a long 18 months, tourist growth by any cost still feels like it is the prevailing mentality for business leaders and local politicians.

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In fact, just as leaders like Buchari are calling for a return to focus on agriculture and the environment, the new government is investing much focus on developing North Bali International Airport and a supporting toll road that will run from the south to the north of the island.

This is in addition to a metro system, the highly controversial Uluwatu Sea Wall project, and upgrades to the exciting road network in Badung Regency, all in the name of improving Bali’s infrastructure so that the tourism sector may flourish. 

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Buchari is not alone in his wish to see agriculture play a more impactful role in Bali’s economy.

At the UNESCO Jatiluwih Rice Terraces in Tabanan Regency, which this week was also named as one of the world’s top tourism villages in 2024, it is hoped that sustainable tourism can help protect the remaining subak system in the area and support local farmers to keep working their land.

However, as Ketut Purna, the operations manager for Jatiluwih Rice Terrace, told reporters this week, the odds are staked against them. 

He told reporters, “What we are afraid of is that there will be buildings in the middle of the rice fields.”

Adding, “Therefore, we made the Jatiluwih Village Regulation (Perdes) so that our natural sustainability is maintained and it is not like our neighboring areas.”

He was clear that rapid development, the increasing costs of inputs for farming rice, and climate change are all impacting local farmers to the degree that they are only a short time away from being forced into alternative livelihoods.

Purna told reporters, “That is not the will of the farmers but simply because the water sources are reduced. Because of El Nino, the change in seasons reduced the water discharge, and many wet farms changed into plantations.”

Purna and his teams hope that the win at the United Nations World Tourism Organisation World’s Best Tourism Village Awards will help boost visit numbers, do more to protect the landscape, and boost morale.

Speaking after picking up the award in person in Colombia, Purna told reporters, “One of the concerns is the preservation of cultural heritage, preserving the environment, and the development of tourism with full responsibility.”

He added, “Of course, this is not only because of us but also because of the people in Jatiluwih Village who are both committed and have put forward the Tri Hita Karana philosophy to receive this award.”