Concepts of tourism development in Bali

Tri Budhi Sastrio

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): If developed appropriately, tourism can benefit host communities and tourists alike.

The development of infrastructure and supporting facilities will lift the living standards of host communities through the economic gains brought to that area.

Ideally, tourism should be developed based on the area's cultural, historical and social background.

Such a development plan will maintain the characteristics and uniqueness of each tourist destination, which will, in turn, attract visitors to that place.

In order to maximize profits and to minimize problems of tourism development, a well-planned concept is badly required.

There are three kinds of tourism-development concepts.

The first concept involves a large-scale investor who develops and totally changes an area into a new tourist area.

The concept may also transform local cultures and lifestyles into different ones.

In the past, many investors adopted such a concept and drew bitter criticism from local community, cultural circles, religious leaders and environmentalists.

Today, no investor would dare to openly adopt this concept, although in practice many violations still occur.

The second concept deals with a community-based tourism- development plan. The concept may involve small and medium investors in developing tourism objects and facilities in line with the existing cultural and material resources.

But, only a few investors are willing to take part in such tourism development projects because they are reluctant to mingle with the involved community and to adjust to its culture and lifestyle.

The third concept is a compromise concept like that applied in the development of Pecatu Indah Resort in Jimbaran, Bali.

Nyoman Gelebet, considered the initiator of this concept, said the Pecatu Indah Resort project was a large-scale one.

As a cultural advisor of a consultant team for this project, he said that the Pecatu project covered more than 650 hectares of land and a two-kilometer beach area.

The implementation of the project had caused concern among the locals. Many people questioned the motivation behind the development of this resort. They felt concern that the large- scale project might cause social, cultural and environmental problems.

The Bali provincial government, which always claims to safeguard Bali from potential harm, had given the green light and provided the investor with the necessary permits to develop the Pecatu resort.

The investor had asserted it adopted a compromise concept in developing the resort.

The implementation of the project, which involves various consultants and cultural advisor, started with the "purchase" of land from the locals.

The investor stated that the resort would actually cover the "borrowed" plot of land. During the building of the resort, local residents would be moved temporarily to neighboring villages.

After the project is finished, they are allowed to reside in the newly developed areas and maintain their traditional lifestyles.

It has emerged as the most appropriate tourism development concept -- blending modernity and traditions, preserving art and cultures and protecting the environment.

The concept, if applied correctly, is likely to preserve social and cultural assets of any site in Bali developed as a tourist location.

In reality, it is hard to implement a tourist development project based on such a concept.

It will be difficult to guarantee that investors, consultants keep their promises once the project is completed.

The local government usually does little to help victims of development regain their property rights. The most affected parties, the locals, are often in a very vulnerable position since they never sign any written agreement with investors.

It is expected that in the future, the provincial government will protect the interest of the local communities, their properties, the island of Bali and its precious cultural assets.

The writer is on the teaching Staff of Dr. Soetomo University in Surabaya, East Java, and a Phd candidate from Udayana University, Denpasar.