Talks of a “new era” in Bali appear to be slightly moving forward with Bali Governor Wayan Koster declaring more specifics about focusing on local resources to develop the economy, in order to reduce the province’s dependence on tourism.
“My agenda for the next two years consists of preparing an ecosystem that balances the fundamentals of Bali’s economy. It covers tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing,” Koster said on Saturday.
Bali’s economy is the hardest hit in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with Bank Indonesia (BI) reporting an economic slowdown of 10.98 percent in the province for the second quarter of this year.
As Indonesia’s top tourist destination, the global halt in travel has resulted in a massive decline for Bali’s tourism industry, which reportedly contributes between 54 to 58 percent to the province’s economy.
“To be able to carry out these economic fundamentals, it must be supported with infrastructure. Developing land, sea, and air infrastructure that are connected and integrated. We will make it happen one by one,” he continued.
This latest statement indicates the current administration’s seriousness to boost other sectors of the local economy, which Koster said will be focused on available local resources, including the development of creative and innovative goods.
Bali certainly holds plenty of potential in this regard, including its own traditional liquor, arak, which can be expected to bring more commercial opportunities across the island after it was legalized earlier this year.
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