People’s Initiatives Raise the Charm of ‘Last Heaven’

The people of Bali are working hand in hand to hold a tourism festival in order to restore the appeal of the Island of the Gods. With a lack of foreign tourists, local tourism has relied on domestic tourists to survive.

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Pandawa Beach in Kutuh Village, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, offers natural charm that attracts tourists. The atmosphere at Pandawa Beach, Badung, on Friday (17/12/2021).

The belief that the charm of Bali — nicknamed “the Last Heaven”— remains a magnet for tourists was shown by residents of Kutuh village, South Kuta district, Badung regency. For example, they held the 2021 Pandawa Beach Festival, which took place from Wednesday to Monday (15-20/12/2021).

A large stage was built in the parking lot of the Pandawa Beach tourist area, Kutuh village, Badung. Around the stage, tents were erected to provide a place for traders to sell various foods and drinks.

On Friday (17/12), the head of the Kutuh traditional village, I Nyoman Mesir, 62, supervised the festival. On that day, a cultural show, which featured dance performances, was held to entertain tourists. Mesir said the Covid-19 pandemic did not dampen the enthusiasm of the residents of the Kutuh village to hold the festival in the Pandawa Beach area.

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"The Pandawa Beach Festival has been included in the calendar of agendas sold by tourist agents," said Mesir. This year is the 10th edition of the festival.

Pandawa Beach is one of the many charming natural attractions in Bali. The beach, which is located on the south side of the island, has white sand.

Dian, 42, a traveler from Semarang, Central Java, was amazed by the natural charm of Pandawa Beach.

“The beach is nice and clean. With the festival, the atmosphere becomes even more interesting,” said Dian, who was enjoying the waves on Pandawa Beach.

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Bali is still the destination of choice for travel during the holidays. Natural tourism areas, such as Melasti Beach in Ungasan Village, South Kuta, Badung Regency, which was documented on Friday (12/17/2021), have natural attractions and beach panoramas.

Mesir said the number of tourists visiting Pandawa Beach had begun to increase, especially since November. According to him, about 1,500 people visit the beach each day.

"Before the pandemic, at least 5,000 people came to Pandawa Beach every day," said Mesir. “However, now it is better than last year. Hopefully, the Covid-19 pandemic will not worsen again and the newly emerged Covid-19 variant [Omicron] will not affect tourism in Bali.”

The initiative to hold a festival was not only carried out by the people of Kutuh village. A similar festival was also held in a number of areas in Bali; for example, the Penglipuran Village Festival in Penglipuran Traditional Village, Bangli regency, and the Denpasar Festival held by the Denpasar administration.

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These various activities were intended to revive tourism and provide space for local residents to carry out business activities and restart the local economy.

The chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association of Badung regency, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Suryawijaya, appreciated the initiatives made by the local government and tourism village managers to hold the festivals because such activities could help revive tourism on the island. According to him, tourism should indeed keep moving, given the creativity of the people involved in the industry.

“The tourist village festival is good for tourism and the local economy. Tourism also relies on creative activities; for example, the opening of new tourist attractions and activities to attract tourists," said Suryawijaya.

Based on the latest data, the number of air passengers using I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport reached an average of 20,000 people per day in December.

The majority of domestic flights arriving came from Jakarta; Surabaya, East Java; and Makassar, South Sulawesi.

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Tourists take pictures in the Melasti Beach area, Ungasan Village, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, Friday (17/12/2021). Bali offers a variety of attractions and natural charms that are interesting to enjoy.

Foreign tourists

Tourism in Bali has been severely hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. The lack of foreign tourist arrivals has had a serious impact on Bali's economy.

Before the government decided to reopen international visits to Bali on 14 Oct. 2021, Bali only received 43 foreign tourists during the period of January to September.

The worst condition, according to a report from the Bali office of Statistics Indonesia (BPS), occurred in the period from June to September. During that time, not a single foreign tourist visited Bali.

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According to the head of the representative office of Bank Indonesia in Bali, Trisno Nugroho, domestic visitors, partly supported by the holding of government meetings and government-sponsored events on the island, have become the main driver of Bali’s economy.

Tourism, especially businesses involved in managing tourist sites and villages, did not just keep silent. They have worked extra hard to maintain their business.

The hope of a revival is high but the safety of visitors should remain a priority in any efforts to attract tourists to the island. Let's go back to Bali!

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.