BADUNG – On the Indonesian resort island of Bali, weary residents want to slow down the mass tourism that is their main source of income – hoping that a plan to freeze hotel construction can restore some calm.

Worried about out-of-control tourism, many Balinese yearn for a quieter past, as do residents of European hotspots Barcelona, ​​Palma de Mallorca or Venice.

In response, Indonesian authorities recently announced their intention – which has not yet been confirmed by the new government – ​​to impose a two-year moratorium on the construction of hotels, villas and nightclubs.

Before foreign surfers discovered its waves decades ago, Canggu was a sleepy seaside village in southern Bali, perched on the Indian Ocean and dotted with rice fields.

Today, it is full of hotels and accommodation, its streets are clogged with cars, scooters and trucks.

Residents, like Ms. Kadek Candrawati, 23, fear that the environment will take second place.

“Canggu is now busier…its tranquility and greenery are gradually disappearing,” said Ms Kadek, who owns a motorbike rental service which earns her seven million rupees (S$590) a month.

“The government and community must work together to ensure that Bali remains green and sustainable and that local culture is preserved,” she told AFP.

“I hope that tourism in Bali can continue to grow, while maintaining a balance between development and environment.”

“New Singapore”

The lush canvas of rainforests, rice fields and surfing beaches that are home to luxury resorts and backpacker haunts has kept tourists coming back.

When tourist numbers collapsed during the Covid-19 pandemic, authorities tried to convince foreigners to return to Bali on digital nomad and golden investor visas.

Such incentives are not needed at present.

Bali attracted almost three million foreign visitors in the first six months of 2024, mainly from Australia, China and India, according to official figures.

Foreign tourists spent an average of US$1,625 (S$2,160) per visit in 2023, compared to US$1,145 in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic, Indonesia’s statistics agency said.

It is far from certain that the new Indonesian president, Prabowo Subianto, wants to reduce these revenues.