Is Bali bursting?

The Jakarta Post warns that Bali will soon reach a saturation point in terms of its carrying capacity, natural resources and physical space.

A lecturer from Bali’s Udayana University Tourism School, Nyoman Sukma Arida, said: "There have been crucial changes in Balinese culture and the lives of its people due to the flood of tourists and tourism development.”

Bali’s population is now estimated at 4 million, a number that does no include a large floating expatriate population and the daily influx of tourist visitors, both foreign and domestic, approaching 10 million in the course of a year.

Arida continued warning that massive exploitation of water and food resources is taking place. ”Tourist visitors are massive consumers of fresh water, using 1,500 litres per day while the Balinese only need 120 litres per day," he said.

The Bali Hotels Association says its members consume 50,000 cubic meter of water each day.

The tourism academic also warns that Bali’s agricultural lands are vanishing as they are converted for residential and tourism developments.

According to Arida, efforts by the province to earn special autonomous region status for the Island have been unsuccessful. Those supporting the special status for Bali argued that it would provide more central government funding needed to curb uncontrolled development and protect the Island’s natural state.

Also unsuccessful have been efforts by Bali’s governor to introduce a moratorium on new hotel projects in the Island’s south, efforts opposed by the regent of Badung who insists new hotels provide for a wider tax base despite a ponderous over-supply of rooms.