Sustainable Tourism in Bali: The Challenges and What Marketers Can Learn

Bali is one of the world’s best-loved islands, and it is working hard to stay that way. Tourism brings jobs, investment and global attention, and Bali is putting that money and attention to work: a tourist levy that funds the protection of culture and nature, some of the boldest plastic rules in the region, and a strong network of local businesses and campaigners leading the way.

Here’s how tourism shapes Bali, what the island is doing to make it sustainable, and what hospitality brands everywhere can learn.

What are the positive impacts of tourism in Bali?

Economic benefits

Tourism is one of the pillars of Bali’s economy. The island welcomed 6,333,360 international visitors in 2024, up 20.10% on 2023 and slightly above its pre-pandemic 2019 level, according to Bali’s Central Bureau of Statistics (Bali Hotels Association). Members of the Bali Hotels Association alone represent more than 25,860 hotel rooms and almost 31,000 tourism-sector employees (same source).

Positive environmental impacts

Tourism also funds environmental protection directly. Since 14 February 2024, international visitors have paid a one-off levy of IDR 150,000, about USD 10 (Philippine Embassy in Jakarta). The money is used to conserve, preserve and revitalise Bali’s nature and culture, and to improve services for visitors (Love Bali). Visitor demand for responsible travel also rewards businesses that invest in sustainability, from organic farming to waste management, as you’ll see in the examples below.

Cultural benefits

International interest helps protect Bali’s living heritage. In 2012, UNESCO inscribed the Cultural Landscape of Bali Province on its World Heritage List. It recognises the subak, a cooperative system of canals, weirs and water temples dating back to the 9th century, and the Tri Hita Karana philosophy behind it, which brings together the spiritual realm, the human world and nature (UNESCO). Tri Hita Karana is, in many ways, a centuries-old sustainability framework, and it gives Bali a story about balance that few destinations can match.

What are the negative impacts of tourism in Bali?

Like every popular destination, Bali faces pressure from visitor numbers: on waste, water, land, roads and the authenticity of cultural life. The island’s leaders are tackling these head on, which is why the levy explicitly exists to protect Balinese culture and the natural environment.

Plastic waste has been a particular focus. In 2019, Bali banned single-use plastics including bags, straws and Styrofoam (World Economic Forum). On 2 April 2025, Governor I Wayan Koster went further with Circular Letter No. 9 of 2025, which bans the production of single-use plastic bottled water under one litre and applies to businesses including hotels, restaurants and cafes (SSEK).

Sustainable tourism initiatives in Bali

Love Bali: the tourist levy – Run by the Bali Provincial Government, Love Bali lets visitors pay the levy online before they travel. It turns every international arrival into a direct contribution to the island’s nature and culture (Love Bali).

Bye Bye Plastic Bags – Sisters Melati and Isabel Wijsen founded Bye Bye Plastic Bags in 2013, when they were 12 and 10, campaigning against plastic bags in Bali (World Economic Forum). It is a powerful example of young local changemakers shaping their island’s future.

Sungai Watch – Sungai Watch installs trash barriers in Bali’s rivers to stop plastic reaching the ocean. Its first barrier went in in October 2020. By early 2023 it had placed 180 barriers and collected more than 982,000 kilograms of plastic, sorting and analysing what it finds to push for better solutions (Plastic Soup Foundation).

Munduk Moding Plantation – In the hills of North Bali, Munduk Moding Plantation offers guests a sustainability tour covering organic farming, waste management, renewable energy and community engagement. The resort also runs free English and Balinese dance classes for local children (Munduk Moding Plantation).

The industry bodies leading change

• The Bali Tourism Board, the island’s tourism industry body, which describes its role as driving quality, sustainable tourism.
• Bali Hotels Association, representing star-rated hotels and resorts, which has run initiatives including a Sustainable Food Festival.

What marketers can learn from Bali

At Growfish, we work on sustainability communications for purpose-driven organisations, and Bali offers some of the clearest lessons we know.

1. Lead with your values, not your amenities. Tri Hita Karana gives Bali a story about harmony that runs deeper than beaches. Brands with a genuine purpose should tell it.
2. Make visitors part of the solution. The Love Bali levy turns tourists into contributors. Give your customers a clear, tangible role in your impact.
3. Back bold claims with bold action. Bali’s plastic rules are credible because they’re enforceable and specific. Specific action is far more persuasive than vague promises.
4. Champion the grassroots. Bye Bye Plastic Bags and Sungai Watch carry more authority than any advert. Partnering with genuine local changemakers builds trust.
5. Be honest about the challenges. Acknowledging pressure from mass tourism, while showing what you’re doing about it, makes the positive story more believable.

What hospitality businesses can learn from Bali

For hotels, resorts and tour operators, in Bali or anywhere else, the island points to a few clear priorities:

• Get ahead of regulation. Bali’s 2025 rules on plastic bottled water apply directly to hotels, restaurants and cafes. Switching early to refill stations and reusables turns compliance into a guest-facing story.
• Show guests the impact. Tours like Munduk Moding’s let visitors see sustainability in action, which is far more memorable than a sign about reusing towels.
• Invest in the community. Free classes for local children, local hiring and local sourcing are the details guests remember and share.
• Keep claims specific. From 27 September 2026, EU rules ban generic environmental claims that can’t be backed by recognised excellent environmental performance, which matters for anyone marketing to European travellers. Our guide to sustainable vs traditional marketing explains more.

If you run a hotel or travel business and want your sustainability story to reach the right guests, get in touch.

FAQs

What are the positive environmental impacts of tourism in Bali?

Tourism funds conservation directly through the Love Bali levy, and visitor demand rewards businesses that invest in organic farming, waste management and renewable energy.

What are the negative impacts of tourism in Bali?

Pressure on waste, water, land, roads and cultural life. Bali is responding with its tourist levy, its 2019 ban on single-use plastics and its 2025 rules on plastic bottled water.

How much is the Bali tourist tax?

IDR 150,000 per international visitor, about USD 10, paid once. It has applied since 14 February 2024 and can be paid in advance through Love Bali.

Is Bali a sustainable destination?

It is working hard to become one. Its levy, plastic rules, UNESCO-recognised subak landscape and active local campaigners make it one of the most interesting sustainable tourism stories in Asia.

Sources

• Bali Hotels Association, 2024 tourism statistics from BPS Bali and the Bali Tourism Authority
• Embassy of the Philippines in Jakarta, Advisory on the international tourism levy in Bali
• Love Bali, Bali Provincial Government, About us
• UNESCO, Cultural Landscape of Bali Province
• World Economic Forum, Melati Wijsen, 10 February 2020
• SSEK, New waste policy in Bali targets single-use plastics, 30 April 2025
• Plastic Soup Foundation, Sungai Watch, 2 March 2023
• Munduk Moding Plantation, MMP Experience
• Republika, Bali Tourism Board, 12 June 2021 (in Indonesian)

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