On Sunday, the 22nd of June, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism held an initiative billed as “Clean Tourism Movement” in the Lovina Beach area, Buleleng Regency, as part of efforts to present clean, well-maintained tourist destinations and attract visitors to North Bali.
The “Clean Tourism Movement” (Gerakan Wisata Bersih) involves cleaning activities, the provision of cleaning facilities, the implementation of a community-based waste management system, as well as educational initiatives and awareness campaigns. The latter, in particular, was aimed at informing both residents and tourists about the importance of maintaining clean tourism areas.
During the event at Lovina Beach, around 500 people took part, including representatives from central and regional government, educational institutions, community groups, associations, partner organisations, and local residents.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa emphasised that cleanliness is a key factor in creating a quality tourism experience, ensuring that tourists feel comfortable and welcome.
“We must establish initiatives that elevate the image of these destinations, and the ‘Clean Tourism Movement’ is one such effort — which is why we selected Lovina Beach as the location for this event,” said Puspa in a press statement issued in Jakarta on the following Monday (the 23rd of June).
Puspa also divulged that since taking up the role of deputy minister, she has frequently received complaints about unclean tourist sites and facilities in Indonesia. In response, the initiative “Clean Tourism Movement” was then launched to offer clean, healthy, and welcoming destinations, while also enhancing the competitiveness of Indonesia’s tourism sector. Furthermore, the initiative in North Bali was also intended to help attract tourists to the northern part of the island and address the issue of uneven tourist distribution.
Recently, it has been observed that visitor numbers have so far remained concentrated in the southern region of the island.
“We want to start diverting the flow of tourists to other areas that are equally promising, and the fundamental requirement is environmental cleanliness,” continued Puspa.
She also added, “We chose to hold the ‘Clean Tourism Movement’ in North Bali not only because of the 3B tourism package that we continue to promote, but also because Lovina is the hub of North Bali. I want to reinforce Lovina’s position as the centre of the region.”