US-ASEAN Business Council Highlights Innovation to Support Bali's Economy
The logic is that with the addition of new hotels, the need for operational supplies will continue to grow, thus increasing opportunities for local business actors. The US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) highlighted various innovations and initiatives by American companies contributing to supporting Bali’s economic growth through strengthening human resources, environmental sustainability, tourism sector development, and digital transformation. This was conveyed in an Executive Briefing entitled ‘Impact of Innovation on Bali’s Economic Development: A Showcase of U.S. Companies’ Initiatives’, which formed part of the BISA (Business Initiative Supporting ASEAN) 2025 programme in Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, on Thursday.
US-ABC Indonesia Chief Country Representative Nugraheni Utami stated that the best practices developing in Bali are expected to inspire other regions in Indonesia to build an inclusive and sustainable economy. She affirmed that US-ABC will continue to support synergy between the public and private sectors to strengthen Indonesia’s economic development in the future. As a centre of national economic growth, Bali is considered to have a strategic role in supporting Indonesia’s economic growth target of 4.8 percent for the 2025-2027 period. In the second quarter of 2025, Bali’s economy reached Rp81.39 trillion, growing by 6.70 percent compared to the previous quarter.
During the forum, several US-ABC member companies outlined their contributions to regional development. Marriott International, through its ‘Bali for Bali’ programme, continues to drive the growth of the tourism sector and local economy by expanding opportunities for local entrepreneurs and producers. General Manager of Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa and Co-Chair of Marriott Business Council Bali, I Wayan Raksa, stated that since 2022 the programme has generated over Rp14 billion in local product and raw material procurement, strengthening the supply chain in Bali. In addition, Marriott also runs an ecotourism development programme with Undisan Tourism Village in Bangli and provides training for Balinese people wishing to pursue careers in the international-standard hospitality industry.
Marriott International representative Saraswati Subadia explained that the company currently operates 27 hotels in Bali. Beyond business expansion, it continues to strengthen cooperation with local businesses through local product and raw material procurement programmes. This cooperation is carried out together with Bank Indonesia, which plays a role in fostering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Bali. According to Saraswati, the recorded value of local procurement has reached over Rp14 billion and is expected to continue rising as the number of hotels operating in Bali increases. ‘The logic is that with the addition of new hotels, the need for operational supplies will also continue to grow, so opportunities for local business actors become even greater,’ she said.
Commitment to human resource development was also demonstrated by Diageo Indonesia through its ‘Learning for Life’ programme and the Diageo Bar Academy. To date, more than 7,000 people in Indonesia have undergone training in tourism, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and bartending to enhance skills and job readiness. In the environmental sector, PepsiCo Indonesia is advancing various sustainability programmes, including providing funding and mentorship support to the Bali-based waste management start-up, Bali Waste Cycle, through the Greenhouse Accelerator programme. Meanwhile, Herbalife has run the Casa Herbalife Programme since 2019 to improve the nutritional quality of children in Karangasem and Buleleng Regencies. The programme, valued at US$233,746, has reached hundreds of children and aims to support the creation of a healthier, more productive generation.
Contributions to the agricultural sector were made by Corteva Agriscience through partnerships and capacity building for rice and vegetable farmers in Bali to boost productivity through knowledge and technology transfer. In the digital economy field, Visa Indonesia is expanding digital payment access for international tourists through cooperation with the domestic payment ecosystem, including the digital wallet DANA. This move enables tourists to make QR transactions using Visa cards as a source of funds, while simultaneously strengthening the participation of business actors in the digital economy.