According to a recent article in Antara News, Sandiaga Uno, Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, has said that waste management of Bali’s seas needs to be carried out to realize sustainable tourism goals.
“According to the Sustainable Travel Report, 83-percent of tourists consider sustainable travel important and 62-percent of global tourists prefer destinations and accommodations that are certified as environmentally friendly,” said Sandiaga in a press statement at ‘Yok Yok Let’s Recycle!’ (YYADU!) on Monday, reinforcing earlier statements he has made on the subject.
The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is trying to respond to changes in global tourism trends by developing tourist destinations to become smart green destinations, report Antara News.
Sandiaga said there was an imbalance between socio-culture aspects as well as the economy and the environment, one of which is responsible waste management.
He further added that to actually realize this there needs to be a communication process, information, education and outreach.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor, Prof. Tjokorda Oka Artha, more commonly known as Cok Oka, also said that the tourism sector in Bali is currently recovering and the transition period for the return of tourists to Bali must be balanced with the readiness of tourist destinations in aspects such as cleanliness.
“Caring for the environment has long been the responsibility of the Balinese people to protect Balinese wisdom. However, along with the transformation of livelihoods, there is a vacuum of responsibility. This obligation needs to be remembered and re-implemented in the present,” said Cok Oka.
The environment including the beach has many functions for the people of Bali, ranging from cultural functions, conservation, transportation and others. However, problems related to waste pollution cannot be avoided, starting from wood waste in certain seasons, liquid waste, and even oil waste in port areas, say Antara News.
Responding to this, the Head of the Bali Province Environment Service, I Made Teja, said that his party had made efforts from upstream to downstream by paying attention to environmental issues from mountain lakes, rivers, springs to beaches and seas, because according to him environmental issues were multi-sectoral.
“Based on the Governor’s policy regarding source-based waste management, we continue to work to increase public awareness regarding its implementation,” said I Made Teja.
It is hoped that the joining of the government (through the Bali Province Environmental Service), the community and other groups and private parties, is expected to be able to present a solution for handling waste, especially in Bali, which is currently focusing on marine debris.
Chairman of the Bali Tourism Board, Ida Bagus Agung, said that Bali received as many as 40,000 domestic and foreign visitors every day by air, sea and land. Sea travel, he said is generally done by cruise ships, which always have the potential for marine pollution.
In its efforts to develop sustainable tourist destinations, the Bali Tourism Board also adds that cleanliness is a major factor that needs attention, especially in terms of waste management.
Source: Antara News
