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BALI has great potential for the development of international tourism based on renewable energy or eco-sustainability. The latest survey results show that foreign tourists looking for accommodation based on renewable energy have shown a positive trend with the figure reaching 73%. The Institute For Essential Services Reform (IESR) explained the results of the booking.com survey showed an increase in the interest of foreign tourists in ecotourism.
According to the IESR Executive Director, Fabby Tumiwa, explained that in the last three years there has been an increase in foreign tourists who choose to stay at hotels with a renewable energy base. In 2016, 62 percent of foreign tourists stayed at eco sustainability hotels, in 2017 it increased by 65%, 2018 increased again to 68%, and 2019 increased by 73%.
“This shows Bali has the potential to develop renewable energy-based destinations. Now, consumers or tourists do not only see hotel facilities or tourist destinations. Foreign tourists are more aware of the environment and want to take part in preserving the environment. Currently, tourism consumers have a better preference for green zones, eco tourism,” Fabby said.
Fabby Tuniwa explained that the development of tourist destinations with eco tourism could make Bali tourism up in class with tourism-based environmental management. Bali has responded to this with the emergence of Governor Regulation number 45 of 2019. The governor’s regulation regulates the use of green energy in buildings over 1000 square meters, hotels with an area of 3000 square meters, and 4-star hotels.
“From a business perspective, solar power plants (PLTS) have the potential to reduce operating costs, because renewable energy and efficiency can go hand in hand. In the long run, hotel operations can becheaper. PLTS roof if used in hotels return on investment can be within 10 to 12 years. Meanwhile, the age of a power plant is 25 to 30 years, which means that after 12 years we can get free electricity, ” Faby noted.
From the IESR data, Bali has the potential to produce renewable energy of 25.9 Mwp from 42 five-star hotels spread across Nusa Dua and Kuta as the center of Bali tourism. To encourage this potential, the government needs to provide incentives, such as tax breaks for those who use renewable energy.
In line with that, the Head of CORE Udayana University Prof. Ida Ayu Dwi Giriantari explained that roof-based PLTS has the potential to branding Bali tourism in the international world. We conducted a study in accordance with the Governor Regulation that the main target is tourism, this renewable energy can be a good branding for Bali, if tourism develops, the economy will grow.
“If tourism can be successful, it will spread to the general public. The realization of renewable energy for tourism is currently hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of these conditions, it is difficult to encourage hotels or destinations to realize the use of renewable energy. 2020 is hit by COVID-19, tourism will automatically close. But what is encouraging is that the construction of the rooftop PLTS is still going on, even expatriates have started at the villa they rented,” Dwi Giriantari finished. [bisnis.com/photo special]
