ANALYSIS OF E M P I R I C A L E V I D E N C E

WIRAWAS& A(!L-Sri.\A

Tanrism

Devchpmnil

T O U R I S M D E V E L O P M E N T DISTORTS
THE BALINESE CULTURE?
MATT. O K A WIRAWAN
NI K E T U T W I W I E K A G U S T I N A
Program Studi Manaiemen U.saha Perjaianan Wisata, S T P Bali
Attitudes to tourism development vary greatly among different approaches.
To cautionary approach, this inter nation phenomenon is seen as fruiting a
hulk of various physical and social excess. To others, adaptation and scientific
approaches, when well planned, organized, implemented, and conirollcd.
tourism development can bear lots of advantages both to the tourists and
host countries. In B a l i , many researchers from different scientific
backgrounds found enough empirical evidence that tourism development
generates numbers of beneficial influence for the deselopment of the
Balinese culture.
K e y words : tourism development, Balinese culture, tourism impact

INTRODUCTION
To begin with, this writing will bring
to the fore some opinions and ideas both
the pros and the cons of the national tourism
development as one of the sectors on which
discussions and researches have been
carried out from different scientific points
of view. Those who support cautionary
approach emphasize that tourism has
caused a bulk of disadvantages in many
different social and economical aspects
such as to cause: low temporary and
seasonal job opportunities which by itself
generate many different problems to the
tourist destination; foreign currency
leakage; cultural c o m m e r c i a l i s m ; and
various vertical and horizontal conflicts in
the local society (Spillane, ,S.,I). Although
the above accuses are not severe but the

fact that there are very many people look
upon tourism as fruiting negative values.
S a m e w r i t e r quotes some contrary
suggestion to tourism development, "...that
tourism should have been neglected or

forbidden because of its terrible negalixe
impacts".
Having exposed some ideas aiul
opinions
disagree
wiih
loiiiism
development, thus, suggesting tourism be
forbidden for the various disadv antages it
may cause, next will be brought forward
the advantages of tourism development as
formulated in the tive-yearly plan's G B H N ,
1999: to gain foreign currency; to open
various business opportunities and, thus,

creating a mass of job opportunities; to
develop and promote local culture and the
beauty of nature; to push the local, regional,
and national economic growth; to increase
national pride among the youth; and
tourism is expected to create understanding
among different peoples from different
nations so as to promote the world peace.
From the so many impacts that
tourism may generate, this writing tries to
study the impacts of tourism on the
Balinese culture as in Indonesia, Bali is a
destination most v isited by tourists from
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Jurnal Kepariwisataan Vol. 3 No. 1 Marel 2004

many different countries. Since 1970s Bali
has given priority to tourism development
besides agriculture and handicraft home

industry. For this reason it is necessary to
study the impacts of tourism development
on the Balinese culture.
The question to be answered is: How
is the impact of tourism development on
the B a l i n e s e culture? To answer this
question this study is supported by direct
field observation, theoretical discussions,
and findings of some researches previously
carried out by scientists.
ANALYSIS OF E M P I R I C A L E V I D E N C E
What is tourism and what is culture?
To initiate this study these ontological
questions are a suitable guidance. There are
very many definitions can be quoted to
answer the questions. To make this inter
nation phenomenon clear, this study begins
by bringing forward some observable facts
as directly a part of the phenomenon or
indirectly related. Those facts are among

others:
1. People move from one place to another
either within the country and/or without
the country.
2. The movement is not for the purpose of
obtaining jobs that generate income in
the destination.
3. The movement is only for the time being
with an intention to return.
4. At the destination the activities carried
out are different from those of the locals.
Then, the foUowings are related facts,
which are actually the needs of the
moving people (the tourists) that, like
or dislike, must be fulfilled. Those are:
1. Need for food and drink
2. Need for shelter and daily life
facilities
3. Need for transport both to reach the

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destination and to move within the
destination
Others, which are known as wants, include
wide varieties as wide as life itself, such
as,
1. Recreation and relaxation,
2. V i s i t i n g f a m i l i e s , r e l a t i v e s or
acquaintances,
3. Visiting land of ancestors,
4. Business and vocational reasons,
5. Conference ( M I C E ) ,
6. To enjoy the beauty of nature and the
local culture, etc.
It is in the effort of fulfilling the
above facts (needs & wants), various
activities take place and are considered as
T O U R I S M . The activities are both from the
moving people (the tourists) and other

parties who find opportunities to gain
benefits from the moving people and their
activities for the service provided. These
bear various forms of tourism.
In Bali it has been decided that the form of
tourism to be developed is cultural tourism
( P E R D A 1991 which then amended in
P E R D A 1991). This later known as a new
trend that would last until the 21 st century
as revealed in " T h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Conference on T o u r i s m and Heritage
Management" in Yogyakarta. C u l t u r a l
tourism covers facts of the second group
(wants) and because of its nature the facts
of the first group (the needs) cannot be
neglected.
To make it clear, next is presented
definition formulated by U N E S C O as
quoted by Rita A.Widiana, "... heritage is
cultural property, which include both

visible and cultural properties. The non
visible properties are language, religion,
and a r c h e o l o g i c a l s i t e s " . W h i l e the
definition agreed upon d u r i n g the
conference is very short but it has very wide
coverage: "Heritage is an inheritance or a

WIRAWAN & AGUSTINA : Tourism Drveloimwnl

legacy- things of value which have been
passed from generation to the next".
B a l i and H a w a i i have the same
potency for the asset of tourism
development: the beauty of nature and
culture. T h e similarities include scenicview, mountains, rivers and lakes, forest
and f a r m i n g f i e l d , beach and under
seawater-park, the hospitality of the people
and the ways of life colored by art and
religious practices. While at present in
Hawaii all those assets have gone because

of the billion dollar mistakes of building
various tourism plants including golf
coLir.se, in Bali the phenomenon of the likes
cannot be denied: It is taking place.
By comparing the fatal mistakes that
have happened in H a w a i i , through
falsification approach to policy taken in
Bali, before it is too late, this writing will
present facts which in Bali have appeared
as the beginning of those mistakes in
Hawaii as identified by Richtcr. a professor
teaching in some great universities in the
US including University of Hawaii, "...but
H a w a i i the one I used to know and
experienced is rapidly disappearing. These
islands have suffered grievously from over
development, especially in the last five
y e a r s ; ...a concrete j u n g l e , raucous
sideshow, ...a billion dollar mistakes ".
There are still a lot of his complaints as

revealed in his book " A Green Hawaii".
W h e n culture is conceived of as the
definition given by Ruth Benedict, "... a
pattern of thinking and doing that runs
through the a c t i v i t y o f a people and
distinguishes them from all other peoples"
then, the land use is also a part of culture.
Then in Bali the land use for tourist resort
and tourist facilities may be considered as
still quite all right. So far most of the land
used for tourism plants is dry land where
s o i l does not enable intensive and

productive farming as in most cases
irrigation cannot be arranged, e.g. Nusa
Dua, Kuta, Sanur, Bukil Peninsula and
Candi Dasa. But places such as out-skirts
of Ubud, Payaiigan. Lovina. Tanah Lot. and
area for city planning of Denpasar have
swallowed fertile field for rice farming.

This is a form of repetition of mistakes that
have taken place in Hawaii.
Bedugul area has repeated, mistakes
that have taken place not only in Hawaii
but also in Puncak area between .lakarta and
Bogor which now have to be reconsidered
otherwise yearly unexpected flood will
sweep.lakarta awav. In Kintainani and area
surrounding the holy mother temple of
B e s a k i h , the development of tourist
facilities of what.soevcr must be stopped,
bearing in mind, that it is not only beyond
the physical carrying capacity but also due
to the sacredness of the area. .Special
attention must be given to area surrounding
the holy temple of Besakih. The building
of kiosks for souvenirs along the access
road to the temple is not only a form of
ribbon development but also indeed a big
mistake. The worst of a l l is. making
Besakih temple an "objek wisata" is an
unforgivable "maxima culpa".
At present, it is not impossible to
build another "Goa Gajah" at any other
slopes of mountains in Bali. But doesn't it
sound irrational? Isn't it better to take care
of the existing one as it has not only its
greatness but it has also informative value
about the greatness and ways of life of the
ancestors who gave great attention to their
belief in God by building a monastery such
as " G o a G a j a h " where they used to
meditate. Now to let heavily loaded vehicle
and tourist buses pass above the " G o a
Gajah" is not wise because, sooner or later,
the heavy burden can break the ceiling of
the cave and thus, destroy the whole thing.
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Jurnal Kepariwisataan Vol. .< No. I Marel 2004

At present some cracks on the ceiling are
noticeable. So the cave is indeed in danger.
Some measures must be taken by the local
government to save this archeological
remains tor the world's .sake.
,411 these same mistakes have taken place I
111 Hawaii, which is a part ot'a great country
in this planet known as superpower. Should
then Indonesia repeat exactly the same fatal
mistakes?
Having described a few negative
impacts next will be presented something
beneficial as found by some observers and
researchers.
1. Tourism development in Bali has shown
a lot of evidence of creating
opportunities of various business such
as hotels - big and small - restaurants,
c a t e r i n g , travel agencies, tourist
transport and cargos. airlines, handicraft
home industry, export-import, various
art such as paintings, c a r v i n g s ,
traditional dance and performances,
various hotel suppliers, places of
interests, etc.
2. A l l those business have absorbed
thousands of human resources. A
research carried out in 1980 showed that
there were 230.782 employed directly
in the tourism business in Bali. The
number did not include those working
in handicraft sector to provide all things
sold in thou.sands of .souvenir shops. Nor
did the number include those working
in building constructions, nor those
w o r k i n g in the various farms who
provide meat, eggs, vegetable, and fruit.
A l l those mentioned above are only
a small fraction of benefits gained from
tourism development in B a l i . Particular
advantage for environment and culture
development needs more serious planning,
coordination, and organization through
rules and tourism laws. Otherwise the
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impact will be contrary to the expectation.
Take for example the concern and care of
environment. Green space (green belt) must
be decided through intensive resetirch.
Analysis of environmental impact of any
establishment must tilso be ctirried out
intensively. .Sptice lor iigriculiure need
serious study, mtiinteiiance tiiid subsidy
because, apart from providing food both for
the locals and the tourists, it also presents
scenic and fresh view interesting for the
tourists to .see as in their cities in their daily
life all they ctin see is a Jungle of concrete.
(Richter. 1972)
Some amount of profit gtiined from
tourism business should be proportionallv
returned to mtiintam the beauty and the
freshness of the en\ ironmeiit particularly
the surrounding area of the tourism plants.
The government earns also a lot of mcuiey
from tourism. Pitana once calculated that
the regency of Badung alone earns 110
billion every year. Some of that amount
should also be returned for the quality
improvement of the environment in Bali
as a whole, particularly at the sites of
cultural remains and the places of interest
visited by the tourists.
Speaking about art m Bali tourism
development generates positive impacts.
A l l these have been found by experts and
researchers such as Geriya and Erawan
1987; Atmaja and Santika 1987. Facts
easily observable are among others, the
emergence of various traditional dance
groups such as Barong and Keris dance,
Kecak dance, Ramayana ballet. Legoiig
dance, Sanghyang dance, etc. A l l those
groups offer performances either ba.sed on
schedules or periodically requested by
hotels and restaurants. The same impacts
have happened to other fine arts such as
painting, sculpture both of stones and
wood. The increase of demand encourages

WIRAWAN & AGUSTINA : Tniimm Devehpmeiu

the mass production of both traditional and
modern creation by numbers of old and
young artist. The touri.sts understand that
not all of them can produce high quality
works meanwhile there are also many
tourists who can only pay less quality
works vrith less expensive price. So, no
matter how the quality of the works is they
are all sold out and they are all happy. A l l
over the world there are always quality and
less quality works; there must not be a
statement criticizing the quality of the
Balinese art is degrading and di.storting as
the result of the so called commercialism
of art. Shortly, the tourism development in
Bali brings positive impacts on the Balinese
art in so far as the analysis is not influenced
by social prejudice or enviousness.
CONCLUSION
Tourism has developed to become a
global phenomenon. So far, in Bali tourism
development brings a lot of advantageous
impact to the Balinese culture including the
foreign currency gain for the present and,
hopefully, for the future.
As
obtained
attention
stimulate

so much benefit have been
from tourism development,
and care must also be taken to
maintenance and care of physical

References
1. Burkat and Medlik. 1981, Tourism;
Past, Present and Put are. Ohio, Grid
Inc.
2, Cooper, P , C . B , . S c . . P h . l ) , . iVIT.S.
1990.The Geography
of Tourism.
Oxford: Heinemaiin Profesional
Publishing L t d . . Halky Court, Jordan
Hill.
.3. Geriya. Wayan. \99b. Pariwisata dan
Dinamika
Kebudayaan
Lokal,
Nasional,
Global. Buiiga R a m p a i
Antropolaogi Pariwisata. Denpasar:
Upada .Sastra.
4. Mcintosh. W.R., Ph.D.. 1971.Tot/mm,Principles, Practices,
Philosophies.
Ohio: Grid Inc.
.3. Midleton.V. 19?,?,. Travel and Tourism.
Oxford: Hcincmanii Profesional
Publishing Ltd.
6. Rohter. 1.. Ph D. 1972. A Green Hawaii.
Honolulu: Nakane O Kamalo Press.

and social environment. Research findings
show that i n d i c a t i o n of neglecting
environment especially inconsistency in the
planning of land use has already been
taking place.
To achieve the established goal, all
parties; the community, the government,
and the entrepreneurs have to maintain
continuous coordination to construct a
comprehensive and adjustable plan and
consistent implementation of the plan.

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