ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT
IN BANGLI HILL AREA
By :
I Wayan Wiwin
Ecotourism
development has also been strongly pushed by governments through the
development of policies and strategies. Their support for the concept is based
on its potential as a job and income generator, particularly for local
communities and therefore as an effective means of regional development. Too
often, however, the tourism industry and governments adopt a narrow product-centered
perspective only, without accepting ecotourism as a paradigm for sustainable
tourism development in natural areas.
Environmentalists
and conservationists, on the other hand, advocate the concept mainly as a
channel through which to promote conservation and a sustainable management
regime restricted not just to protected areas. They hope that this idea of
“protection through usage” will lead to a generally more ‘green’ tourism
industry and an increase in the ecological and socio-cultural awareness and
behaviour of tourists.
Concidering
these diverse approaches to the concept, it is not surprising that there is
some discrepancy over its objectives. Definitions are always a matter of
perspective, interests, and values which ultimately lead to distinct and often
conflicting perceptions of a complex and dynamic concept, such as ecotourism. Since
multifaceted interests are involved, all embracing this idea as a desirable
goal for tourism development, various interpretations of the concept have
emerged from this vigorous and powerful debate. With the discussion becoming
increasingly refined, however, a prevalent understanding of ecotourism as the
intersection of nature-based tourism and sustainable tourism has developed. The
term cannot therefore simply be used synonymously with nature-based tourism,
since the former concept is sustainable tourism in natural areas, embracing the
values of sustainability.
Ecotourism
is closely linked to the concept of sustainable tourism and should therefore be
consistent with the principles of the parental paradigm of sustainable
development, balancing economic, ecological, and social aspects as an
integrated whole. This understanding highlights the significant relationship
between ecotourism, sustainable tourism, and sustainable development.
Three
core elements can be distilled from the many attempts that have been made to
define ecotourism (David Bruce Weaver, 2001). First, the focus af attractions
is natural environments (e.g. a rainforest or a grassland) or specific
components thereof, such as a particular type of animal or plant. Ecotouriam is
therefore essentially a form of nature-based tourism. Second, ecotourism
emphasizes learning as an out-come of the interaction between ecotourists and
the natural environment. In this way, ecotourism is differentiated from
nature-based tourism activities that are more leisure based (such as the
classic “3S” vacation of sea, sand, and sun) or those that are adventure
oriented (such as trekking, climbing, or rafting). The motivation in those
latter pursuits is either to enjoy the hedonistic experience of relaxing in the
sun and gaining a tan or to have a memorable experience that offers some degree
of risk and personal challenge. The natural attraction in either case serves as
asuitable venue that allows these motivations to be played out. Finally,
ecotourism should be sustainable. This follows logically from the second
criterion, in that the desire to understand and appreciate natural attractions
implies a desire to ensure that the integrity of those attractions is not
undermined.
These
three criteria can be combined to form the following working definition of ecotourism is a form of nature-based tourism
that strives to be ecologically, socio-culturally, and economically sustainable
while providing opportunities for appreciating and learning about the natural
environment or specific elements thereof (David Bruce Weaver, 2001).
One’s
of potential tourist attractions in Bangli Regency is Bangli Hill area, about 2
Km north of Bangli town centre, and about 45 Km from Denpasar.
The
finding shows that Bangli Hill area is very potential to be developed as an
ecotourism area as it has many natural and cultural aspects which are very
enchanting and attracting for the people, physically and non physically. The
physical potencies such as : the variety of it’s flora and fauna, the existence
of some temples with their religious nuances, it’s beautiful scenery and also
the existence of IHDN as a centre of Hindus cultural and education development.
The non physical ones are : the social cultural relationship among the
societies who have the responsibility of the temples/the worshippers of the
temples, piodalan ceremony in each
temple and also the social cultural activities among the societies.
Based
on the identification of tourism potencies had by Bangli Hill area and in
accordance with the policy of tourism development in Bangli, the ecotourism
development in Bangli Hill area can be organized as follows : (1) As a centre
of ecotourism with spiritual nuances, (2) As a centre of conservation and the
development of social culture plant, and (3) As a centre of Hindus cultural
development. To reach that purposes, some development programs, physically and
non physically, can be made. The physical programs including : the building of
some infrastructures that can support tourism aspect, the organizing of holy
areaa, the organizing of production area, the organizing of conservation area,
the building of some rest areas, the building of meditation area, the building
water basin area, the rehabilitation of some temples, and the building of
Hindus centre. Non physical programs including : the training of tourism
industry mangement, giving the information about the conservation area and it’s environment, giving the information
about agriculture, the forming and building of some home industry groups, and
the forming and building of traditional art groups.
Keyword : ecotourism
