Commission VII Parliament: Bali must be budget priority as it supports foreign exchange

Jakarta – The Deputy Chair of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Evita Nursanty, has stated that Bali must become a budget priority given the region’s position as Indonesia’s international tourism face and its status as the largest contributor to national tourism foreign exchange earnings.

She noted that Bali’s contribution to Indonesia’s tourism foreign exchange reached approximately 44 per cent in 2024, a figure demonstrating how strategically vital Bali’s role is in supporting the national economy, creating employment opportunities, and driving small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the creative economy.

“Nevertheless, such substantial contribution must be matched with proportional budgetary support from the central government,” Evita said in Jakarta on Friday.

According to her, Bali cannot be burdened with high tourist arrival targets without adequate fiscal support to maintain destination quality and global competitiveness.

She outlined that Bali currently faces numerous genuine challenges, ranging from waste management issues, traffic congestion, and pressure on the local environment and culture, to the need for infrastructure improvements and connectivity enhancement in tourism zones.

“All these strategic agendas require stronger and sustained state budget support, not merely reliance on regional budgets,” she said.

As the commission leader overseeing the industrial sector, tourism, SMEs, and creative economy, she stressed that strengthening Bali is a national agenda.

To this end, Commission VII of the House of Representatives will ensure that policies and budget allocations for the tourism sector, particularly strategic destinations such as Bali, truly align with the contribution given to the nation’s economy.

“Investment in Bali is not merely a regional interest, but rather an investment to preserve Indonesia’s reputation and competitiveness at the global level,” she said.