According to reporting from Detik, foreign tourists to Bali are being invited to voluntarily contribute funds to protecting Bali’s environment and culture through the Love Bali application and QR scans that have been provided at hotels, restaurants and tourist destinations across the island.
Yoga Iswara, Chairman of the Indonesia Hotel General Manager Association (IHGMA) DPD Bali, welcomed the programme saying that “this is a very extraordinary step for how can we jointly create, not only a responsible host but a responsible tourist. So, we are trying to invite tourists who have special emotions in carrying out the restoration of Bali.”
“Bali just started with voluntary tourist contributions,” said Iswara, adding that this joint step between the community, government, stakeholders and foreign tourists is similar to programmes already implemented in the Maldives, Japan and several other countries, say Detik.
On this occasion, he did not deny that protecting Bali requires great efforts, especially since Bali does not have too many sources of income other than tourism. So with this contribution programme, he believes Bali will be more awake and sustainable.
Yoga makes an analogy of Bali as a goose laying golden eggs. Bali must be maintained so that it can continue to be visited by tourists. Conditions in Bali that need attention are the availability of clean water, waste management, and clean water sources, report Detik.
Several hotels have facilitated the use of QR barcodes for foreign tourists. Yoga explained that gradually around 200-hotels and villas at IHGMA DPD Bali would do the same thing. He also admitted that he was optimistic that the contribution programme would attract foreign tourists.
“When it comes to the Bali restoration programme, of course tourists will be very supportive. Especially those who have come to Bali dozens of times. They want Bali to be protected and they want to be part of that process,” he added.
Source: Detik
