Bali Embraces African Conservation Tourism Strategies Post Africa-Indonesia Forum 2024

a large conference room filled with people

The 2024 Africa-Indonesia Forum concluded in Bali, bringing together key officials and experts. They exchanged ideas on tourism, agriculture, trade, and industry. A central focus for Bali's tourism industry was Africa's successful conservation tourism models.

Indonesia's Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, emphasized the significance of these African initiatives. He explained how African countries turned cultural heritage into both tourist attractions and conservation projects. For example, Algeria has more Roman ruins than Italy. Meanwhile, 30% of Tanzania’s economy comes from wildlife tourism.

Throughout the forum, participants often compared Zanzibar, a Tanzanian island, to Bali. Although some mistakenly called Zanzibar a country, it shares several similarities with Bali. Both face the challenge of balancing tourism growth with environmental and cultural preservation.

Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesia's Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, praised Tanzania's progress in maritime tourism and the blue economy. He suggested Bali could learn from these successes. He also proposed the idea of creating sister islands and maritime tourism hubs between Bali and Tanzania.

Following the forum, Bali and Zanzibar plan to collaborate on several initiatives. These include conservation tourism, maritime tourism, and sustainability-focused economic models. Zanzibar’s upcoming mandatory travel insurance, starting in October 2024, might offer a useful model for Bali. This measure could help manage the problem of uninsured tourists facing high emergency costs.

The discussions at the forum are expected to push Indonesia toward more sustainable and culturally aware tourism practices. Bali is likely to play a leading role in this effort. One of the island’s main challenges will be balancing the protection of natural landscapes with offering high-end tourist experiences.

To support these sustainability goals, Indonesian lawmakers are developing regulations. These rules aim to manage the conversion of agricultural and community land into tourism or commercial spaces. This effort is intended to safeguard Bali’s natural areas as tourism continues to expand.

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