BALI TOURISM

Bali is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. It is Indonesia's main tourist
destination, which has seen a significant rise in tourists since the 1980s. Tourism-related business makes up
80% of its economy. It is renowned for its highly developed arts, including traditional and modern dance,
sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking, and music. The Indonesian International Film Festival is held every
year in Bali. Bali is part of the Coral Triangle, the area with the highest biodiversity of marine species. In this
area alone, over 500 reef-building coral species can be found.
CULTURE
Bali is renowned for its diverse and sophisticated art forms, such as painting, sculpture, woodcarving,
handcrafts, and performing arts. Balinese cuisine is also distinctive. Balinese percussion orchestra music,
known as gamelan, is highly developed and varied. Balinese performing arts often portray stories from Hindu
epics such as the Ramayana but with heavy Balinese influence.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
April to September is the best time to visit Bali due to less rainfall. For tourists who would like to enjoy
the crowds, nightlife and vibe of Bali, July, August and December are the peak times to visit this
province. The months of May, June and September is the best time for water-based activities like scuba
diving and snorkelling due to the best weather conditions. January to April is the low-season in Bali,
with significant slashes on prices and cheaper accommodation. Additionally, these months see torrential
rain and things get quiet around the province. The tropical island, though warm and humid can be
broadly divided into two seasons - the dry season (April - October) and the wet season (November -
March).

The tourism industry is a major revenue earner for Bali. The impact of having so many tourists visiting this
country is felt in positive and negative ways as follows.

Positive Impact

The economy of Bali has improved greatly due to the impact of the tourism industry. As such, the standard
of living here is very high and there has been a reduction in the levels of poverty. Unemployment has also
been reduced.

This influx of tourists has attracted investors to Bali who builds entertainment spots and hotels. They have
also built a recreation center and other such places that have drawn more tourists to Bali. These have
included restaurants, luxury resorts, villas and malls to name a few.

Job creation has been the result of having all these developments, accommodations and tourist entertainment
spots. Bali residents can now work and make a living from the opportunities availed by the facilities that
support the tourism industry. As such, the unemployment rate in Bali is very low.

Tax revenues from the tourism industry have increased the government’s revenue stream, which has enabled
the government to invest in infrastructure that supports the industry.

Preservation of art has been another positive effect of tourism. Music, painting, carving, dance and the like
have flourished. Those who perform dances and music get to make some money and the artifacts created
by the various artisans and purchased by tourists.