Deputy Regent Eyes Potential for Running Events in Tabanan's Tourist Areas

Tabanan — The Deputy Regent of Tabanan, I Made Dirga, is targeting the potential of various tourist areas in Tabanan to serve as locations for the currently trending running events.

“There is Tanah Lot, Yeh Gangga, Soka, Ulun Danu; all of these are possible,” he stated on the sidelines of the Bali Tourism Run in Jatiluwih, Tabanan, Bali, on Sunday.

According to him, the Bali Tourism Run, held as part of the 100 Years of Bali Tourism celebrations in Jatiluwih, serves as an example of how to promote Tabanan’s tourism through existing local attractions.

“This is an extraordinary idea for the future. This event alone is already incredibly good because, firstly, the potential has not yet been maximised,” he said.

Building upon this initial casual run, the Tabanan Regency Government intends for other tourist areas to design more comprehensive events in the future.

This is because the primary economic impact on the communities in these tourist areas will be substantial, as seen in Jatiluwih, where occupancy rates for community-owned guesthouses reached 100 per cent, subsequently benefiting local restaurants, stalls, and MSMEs within the village.

“The impact is truly extraordinary because the gathering point is in Tabanan; many people coming here will inevitably spend more on shopping or accommodation, which is already wonderful,” said Dirga.

However, he emphasised that development cannot be carried out haphazardly. He noted that despite the limited accommodation in Jatiluwih, business owners are not permitted to build on rice fields.

“As with Jatiluwih, this is a World Heritage site where we cannot build indiscriminately. Even though the scenery is beautiful, we cannot just build anywhere; we must know where is permitted and where is not. The government is still calculating these regulations,” the Deputy Regent of Tabanan added.