Bali used to be pretty close to the top of many people’s “bucket list” along with African safaris, skydiving, whale watching and visiting Macchu Pichu.
As it swiftly transforms from cultural destination to western playground, that is changing.
The desire to visit just another beach-club-resort-mall-bar-scene is diminishing and those high value, low impact cultural tourists will change into low value, high impact travellers out for a good time.
And where are they going? To places that have resisted the change: African safaris and Macchu Pichu.
I have just come back from Peru and went to perfectly preserved, well managed Macchu Pichu, and saw the appreciation of those who value the quality of heritage tourism, and how much they are prepared to spend to experience it. it’s vitally important that Bali’s leaders understand this and preserve and manage all of their cultural assets, not just temples and palaces but also rice fields and natural views, as well as possible.
It’s not too late, but it’s getting that way.
