Dolphin Watching Tour Operators In North Bali Discuss Creating Set Tariffs

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Demand for dolphin-watching tours in north Bali has been steadily increasing over the past few months, much to the relief of local tour operators who have suffered significant losses during the pandemic. As interest is increasing, tour operators have held a meeting to discuss creating a set tariff for tours to ensure that business is fair and sustainable.

The most popular place to watch dolphins in Bali is off the northern coast. Most tourists start their tours from the quiet resort town of Lovina. On Monday, 30th January, the Tourism Office of the Buleleng Regency met with the Lovina Beach Dolphin Tour Group and the Board of Management of the Buleleng Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (BPC PHRI) to discuss how to adjust rates for transparency and fairness for all.

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Currently, tour operators and even fishermen with a side hustle in boat tours offer dolphin-watching experiences for anything ranging from IDR 50,000 to IDR 200,000 (USD 3-14) per person. The Head of the Tourism Office, Gede Dody Sukma Oktiva Askara, told the group that set rates should be established to level prices across online booking platforms through hotels and agents and direct bookings. He noted that the format not only provides more security for tourists but is considered the best practice in tourism management.

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After the meeting, Oktiya told reporters, “Through this meeting, it was discussed how the principal things that must be carried out in order to better manage dolphin tourism. We have agreed and will make regulations in synergy with related parties. We are targeting that this March, there will be an agreement between the service provider groups in terms of governance, managers, tourist comfort, and safety standards, including tariffs.”

The new regulations will be drafted in the coming weeks and presented to the Regent to be signed off. The agreement will also contain details specifying rules that must be adhered to protect the fragile marine ecosystems of the northern coast. This included regulations to protect the dolphins as well as the coral reef and other marine life.

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Oktiya concluded, “This needs to be maintained and cared for together so that with better management. We hope that the sustainability of dolphin tourism will be well maintained.” Speaking separately to reporters after the meeting, the Deputy Secretary of the BPC PHRI for Buleleng Regency, Gede Sukayasa, shared that he was pleased with the results of the meeting.

He noted that the new regulations and agreements would help promote a higher quality tourism experience that benefits both tourism providers and tourists themselves. He said, “Not only from the business side, but people with better governance will also increase their economic income. Hopefully, this can be sustainable and find good solutions for all parties.”

The dolphin-watching tour operators came away from the meeting also satisfied with the results. Made Mudana, who attended the meeting on behalf of the Segara Gunung Group, which runs dolphin-watching tours, said that the set tariffs would bring positive results. Mudana said, “This is very important for us, and hopefully, it will be the first step to improve the governance of the implementation of dolphin transportation so that it continues and is sustainable.”

Mudana explained that many tour operators in Lovina and the surrounding areas need more information about how their businesses impact marine life. According to him, awareness about sustainable tourism needs to be improved in order to ensure that the experience can be mutually beneficial for all, marine life included.

Speaking to reporters last week, the head of the Marine Tourism Guide Group at Bhakti Segara Lovina, Made Rudita, shared that tourism is certainly returning to the area and that dolphin-watching tours are playing a big part in that.

He said, “it has improved a lot compared to during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now there are an average of around 300 tourists every day, maybe more. Previously, during the pandemic, there were hardly any, at most 20, and even then, only local tourist”. Rudita also agreed that a set tariff would help improve the tourism initiative and make the competition for tourists fair.