Bali is an Indonesian province with a rich culture, tropical climate and large tourism industry. Although tourism does have notable benefits – such as employment and infrastructural investment - it has also presented many challenges.
Bali received 6.28 million foreign arrivals in 2019, double those of 2011. This rapid growth has been occurring in Bali since the 1970s. The scale of the expansion was extreme and placed great stresses on the island. Notably, water from natural springs is being diverted to hotels, reducing the function of the island’s heritage-listed irrigation system- indicative of both the environmental and cultural pressure put on Bali in the face of rapid tourism expansion.
Furthermore, the economic boom of tourism has also created a reliance on the industry. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bali received just one-sixth of foreign arrivals compared to the previous year. As one Bali tour guide put it, “No tourist, no money”.
It must also be noted that much of this mass tourism is facilitated by large resorts. These are often foreign-owned by transnational corporations such as the Marriott and the Four Seasons. Therefore, the profits of these do not go directly to the local economy, known as economic leakage.
Mass tourism in Bali may have caused an economic boom, but the economic leakage at the expense of environmental degradation has made it closer to the exploitation of the Indonesian Island.
Written by Josie
Artwork by Zara Masood
