Ecotourism Must Contribute to Bali's Environmental Conservation
Ecotourism must not become merely a marketing jargon or a commodification of natural beauty for short-term economic gain. The development of ecotourism in Bali must be able to provide real, sustainable impact and contribution to environmental conservation efforts as well as the welfare of local communities.
This assertion was made by the Chairman of the Shri Kesari Warmadewa Foundation, Professor Anak Agung Gede Oka Wisnumurti, during his opening remarks at the International Conference on Agricultural Innovation and Ecotourism Environment (CAITEC 2026) on Friday (14/8) in the Sanur area of Bali.
The international conference, themed “Improving Food Security through Sustainable Agriculture and Ecotourism Practices in the Issue of Climate Change”, was organised by the Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology at Warmadewa University as the main host. The collaborative event was also supported by several partner universities as co-hosts, namely the Bali Institute of Technology and Health, Dhyana Pura University, Markandeya University, Dwijendra University, and Pelita Bangsa University.
In his view, Professor Wisnumurti stressed the importance of integrating conservation principles into the realm of environment-based tourism and local agricultural systems. According to him, amid the increasingly evident threat of global climate change, the ecotourism and sustainable agriculture sectors must work in harmony to support food security while maintaining the carrying capacity of Bali’s island ecosystem.
“Ecotourism and agriculture are two vital sectors that support one another. The development of ecotourism must be rooted in the preservation of nature and culture, so that it can provide measurable ecological benefits and have a direct impact on strengthening the community’s economy,” he explained before the international academics, researchers and practitioners in attendance.
The CAITEC 2026 forum serves as a strategic space for researchers from various countries and partner higher education institutions to formulate ideas, agricultural technology innovations, and ecotourism governance models that are adaptive to climate change.
Through this cross-academic and university collaboration, the outcomes of CAITEC 2026 are expected not to stop at the level of academic discourse alone, but rather to be implemented in policy and real practice on the ground in order to safeguard the environmental sustainability of Bali and the world.
Meanwhile, a member of the Bali Governor’s Expert Group, Professor Anak Agung Putu Agung Suryawan Wiranatha, emphasised the importance of policy direction and regulation for sustainable agricultural development based on the values of Balinese local wisdom, Sad Kerthi.
“The development of organic farming systems in Bali is not only aimed at increasing the value and quality of agricultural products, but also at preserving the natural ecosystem and biodiversity. This is strictly regulated through Bali Provincial Regulation Number 8 of 2019 concerning Organic Farming Systems,” he explained.
Professor Suryawan also highlighted the commitment of the Bali Provincial Government to controlling the conversion of productive land through Regional Regulation Number 4 of 2026, which prohibits the conversion of productive land for tourism business facilities and property in order to preserve the Subak system and achieve food sovereignty. In addition, the protection of water sources such as lakes, springs, rivers and the sea has been strengthened through Bali Governor Regulation Number 24 of 2020.
On the same occasion, Associate Professor Michael van Keulen, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental and Conservation Sciences at Murdoch University, highlighted a fundamental challenge in modern environmental conservation, namely the phenomenon of shifting baseline syndrome.
According to Mike van Keulen, modern science often suffers from a memory problem, whereby measurable scientific data is only available for a span of approximately the last 100 years. Yet the impact of human activity on marine ecosystems has been occurring for far longer. This causes each generation of scientists and the public to set a standard of “natural/normal conditions” that continues to decline compared to the original state.
“If we forget the true initial condition of an ecosystem, we risk setting inappropriate or overly low conservation and environmental restoration targets,” van Keulen asserted.
Furthermore, he warned of the danger of creeping normality, or the normalisation of an already damaged environment, as well as conservation complacency, which means threats to species extinction are often recognised too late.
To address these problems, Mike van Keulen stressed the importance of integrating historical records, old data, and local stories and wisdom (anecdotal records/stories) into scientific research. Scientists are also required to simplify public communication so that broad public awareness of the importance of preserving original ecosystems can be built.