Bali's strategy to save tourism

Bali's provincial administration plans to launch a new master plan to combat challenges and complaints faced by the island's current tourism development scheme.

The master plan would be based on a blueprint that will cover short, medium and long-term tourism development and cover destination development, promotion, the tourism industry and human resource development.

Bali Tourism Office head Ida Bagus Kade Subhiksu told the Jakarta Post "the bottom line is to create Bali as a quality tourist destination inside and outside."

Complaints from visitors and international tourism institutions include a lack of infrastructure, security issues, connectivity and garbage management.

Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport in Tuban received a US$211 million upgrade but this is considered only a short-term solution to looming infrastructure troubles facing the island.

Subhiksu added "it is predicted that the number of passengers using the airport's services will rocket in the coming years, while at that time, Ngurah Rai will no longer be able to accommodate the rising demands.

"Air transportation plying the European and American routes is still out of reach... we rely on tourists coming from the Asia-Pacific region."

Asia-Pacific travellers monopolised Balinese tourism making up almost 60% of the 2.12 million foreign visitors to Bali during the first nine months of 2012.

The Badung and Gianyar regencies and Denpasar mayoralty plan to issue new tourism strategies based upon the proposed provincial tourism blueprints.

For more information go to www.balitourismboard.org/

Image: Waterbom waterpark, Bali