Are Chinese tourists to blame for Bali’s increasing water, waste and traffic problems?
Soaring visitor numbers have had many negative effects but Indonesian island hopes to attract 10 million tourists from China by 2019
Every year, millions of tourists flock to Bali to soak up the replenishing natural charms which have made the Indonesian idyll a top global holiday destination.
In terms of name recognition, few places come close to the resort island which hit holidaymaking pay dirt decades ago with its rare blend of rustic tranquillity and home comforts. The determination to keep the tourists coming shows no signs of diminishing as the country aims to attract 10 million tourists from China by 2019.
But concerns are mounting that unless something is done to reverse worrying levels of environmental degradation, Bali is in danger of eroding the very foundation on which its tourism success was built.
This year, 2 million Chinese people will holiday in Bali, making up a significant and growing section of the expected 15 million total visitors.
Their numbers outstripped Australian visitors for the first time this year and, according to the Indonesian tourism ministry, on average they spent US$1,018 per visit. This is a lower average spend than Australians and Europeans but it exceeds that of Singaporeans and Malaysians: US$680 and US$663 respectively.
“Bali has a complete tourism infrastructure and its image is highly ranked among the world’s travellers,” said I Gde Pitana, the deputy minister for international marketing at the country’s tourism ministry.
