I can see that tourism has brought money to Bali. I do not deny that. There are more hotels, restaurants and jobs, and many people depend on tourism for their income. But I am concerned about what happens to the money after tourists spend it here.
A large part of tourism’s contribution streams out of Bali. It goes to Jakarta or to companies overseas. The tourists are here, the hotels are here and it is our island that attracts people. But much of the value created by tourism does not stay with the Balinese people.
I do not want Balinese people to become only cheap labour in an economy that belongs to somebody else.
I see the effects in ordinary life. The cost of living is rising faster than my income and the incomes of many other local people. Food becomes more expensive, as if everyone in Bali has the same spending power as a foreign visitor. At the same time, our local manufacturing sector remains small. We do not produce enough of the things that are used and sold here.
That is why I believe we need to support more home industries and local workshops. These businesses belong to local people, so more of their income stays in Bali. They also teach people important skills. People learn how to make products, organise a business, prepare plans and evaluate their own work.
Our young people understand where the jobs are. I have informally asked students finishing senior high school about their plans, and many of them told me that they wanted to enter tourism training. I understand their decision. Tourism offers jobs, and young people need to earn a living. But if everyone moves towards tourism, I worry about what we may lose.
One example is Sekaa Manyi, the traditional rice-harvesting groups. These groups are not only about getting the rice harvested. They also connect people socially and have a place in our religious and community life. During the harvest, neighbours and relatives come together and help each other.
But employment in a hotel follows a different clock. When you are scheduled to work, you cannot simply leave to join the rice harvest. As more people work according to hotel timetables, fewer people may take part in these traditions. Slowly, an activity that has held the community together begins to disappear.
We can count hotel rooms and tourism jobs. But how do we count the disappearance of the things that once connected a community?
Of course, not everything has become worse. Healthcare has improved. However, I have seen much less improvement in education, and it remains difficult to find graduates with the specialised skills that Bali needs.
The development of infrastructure is also unequal. Access to electricity has improved, especially in tourist areas. But our water resources are under pressure, waste collection is still poor and roads have expanded without enough planning.
Land is another serious problem. In tourism areas, prices have risen so much that many Balinese families can no longer afford to buy land. Meanwhile, some of the important and well-paid positions in the tourism industry go to people from outside Bali. Local people may find work, but too often it is at the lower levels.
I am also worried about social changes. Drugs have reached villages. There is prostitution, attitudes among young people are changing and parents who work long hours have less time for their children. These developments are difficult to measure, but that does not mean they are unimportant.
Even our sacred places are changing. A temple now has two lives at the same time. For us, it is a sacred place where rituals are performed. For tourists, it can become an attraction and a place to take photographs. The temple building may still exist, but what happens to its meaning when it is increasingly treated as a tourism product?
When I think about the future of Bali, I believe we must start by protecting the island itself. We have to protect the environment, the land and our limited physical space. If we can do that, it may become easier to address some of the social and cultural pressures as well.
I am a journalist and a member of an NGO. I am not a government minister or the owner of a hotel. I cannot directly decide how Bali develops. The press is the instrument I have.
Criticising through the press and offering an alternative solution—that is the only thing I can do.
My request to tourists is simple. Please buy products and services from local people. Please also respect Balinese customs and social norms.
I am not asking visitors to stop coming to Bali. I am asking that more of what tourism brings should remain with the people whose island, culture and daily lives make the visit possible.