Bali Tourism Polytechnic Welcomes Working Visit of Indonesian Parliament's Committee X to Discuss Tourism Bill
Nusa Dua - Bali Tourism Polytechnic warmly received the Members of Indonesian Parliament's Committee X on Education, Sports, and History on Friday, June 28, 2024. The visit by Committee X was a specific working visit related to the Special Committee on the 2024 Tourism Bill. A total of 13 members of Committee X, chaired by Dr. Dede Yusuf ME., ST., M.I. Pol., were hosted at the MICE Building, Widyatula, Bali Tourism Polytechnic.
This event was part of a public consultation process to gather public aspirations regarding the Tourism Bill, which will focus on human resources (HR), research, and education. According to Dede Yusuf, Bali needs to make changes where issues of 'overtourism' have already occurred, and there is a lack of strong regulations to curb the onslaught of tourism businesses in Bali. Similar sentiments were echoed by another member of Committee X, Ms. Desy Ratnasari, M.Si., M.Psi. "There are currently three main issues regarding tourism: institutional, human resources, and environmental preservation," noted Desy Ratnasari. The institutional issues mentioned are aimed at ensuring that tourism regulations do not disadvantage local residents. Concerning environmental preservation, the focus is not only on budgetary support but also on maintaining sustainable environmental practices. The role of Poltekpar is also significant, with the Bali Tourism Polytechnic under the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia expected not only to provide competency certifications but also to establish a 'world of certification' involving stakeholders, tourism and hospitality associations, and graduates who have become practitioners.
Several tourism and hospitality associations also provided specific insights into current tourism issues. Some of the associations present included GIPI, ASITA, HPI, and HHRMA. Mr. Gus Agung from GIPI shared his views on the proposals and statements from Committee X of the Indonesian Parliament. He provided input on the Tourism Bill regarding sustainable tourism development in Bali, inclusive of local values. Similar views were expressed by Mr. Putu Winastra from ASITA, who suggested that the Bill should strengthen and protect local entrepreneurs, including high-risk tourism licensing, as currently many tourism sectors are dominated by foreigners due to low risks. Regarding tourism human resources, Mr. Nyoman Nuarta from HPI highlighted that tourism practitioners in various regions have unique perspectives, thus competency certifications should be tailored accordingly, whether in hotels, restaurants, tour guiding, or other fields. Moreover, educational institutions in tourism, particularly Bali Tourism Polytechnic, are expected to contribute significantly.
Dr. Ida Bagus Putu Puja, M.Kes, Director of Bali Tourism Polytechnic, outlined that the Polytechnic plays a role under the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia in implementing the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, including research and teaching. The six Polytechnics are divided into their respective centers of excellence, with Bali Tourism Polytechnic focusing on cultural aspects, where research and community service aim to address primary cultural tourism issues. According to Mrs. Diah Sastri, Head of the Center for Research and Community Service of Bali Tourism Polytechnic, there are two current tourism issues in Bali: the uneven centralization of the tourism industry and the need for industry data to support policies based on research and real data. Genpi (Generasi Pesona Indonesia), a youth organization at Bali Tourism Polytechnic, also provided insights into promoting village tourism. According to Genpi Bali Tourism Polytechnic, the role of youth is crucial in promoting tourism in Indonesia. Furthermore, students at Bali Tourism Polytechnic have conducted research on underdeveloped tourism villages and have developed programs for their enhancement.
The working visit by Committee X of the Indonesian Parliament provides a necessary platform for formulating the Tourism Bill, where discussions from tourism associations, tourism educational institutions, and the community contribute valuable perspectives. Chairman of the Committee X delegation, Dede Yusuf, added that further direct observations would be conducted at a tourism destination to assess the current conditions related to tourism issues in Indonesia.
This event was part of a public consultation process to gather public aspirations regarding the Tourism Bill, which will focus on human resources (HR), research, and education. According to Dede Yusuf, Bali needs to make changes where issues of 'overtourism' have already occurred, and there is a lack of strong regulations to curb the onslaught of tourism businesses in Bali. Similar sentiments were echoed by another member of Committee X, Ms. Desy Ratnasari, M.Si., M.Psi. "There are currently three main issues regarding tourism: institutional, human resources, and environmental preservation," noted Desy Ratnasari. The institutional issues mentioned are aimed at ensuring that tourism regulations do not disadvantage local residents. Concerning environmental preservation, the focus is not only on budgetary support but also on maintaining sustainable environmental practices. The role of Poltekpar is also significant, with the Bali Tourism Polytechnic under the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia expected not only to provide competency certifications but also to establish a 'world of certification' involving stakeholders, tourism and hospitality associations, and graduates who have become practitioners.
Several tourism and hospitality associations also provided specific insights into current tourism issues. Some of the associations present included GIPI, ASITA, HPI, and HHRMA. Mr. Gus Agung from GIPI shared his views on the proposals and statements from Committee X of the Indonesian Parliament. He provided input on the Tourism Bill regarding sustainable tourism development in Bali, inclusive of local values. Similar views were expressed by Mr. Putu Winastra from ASITA, who suggested that the Bill should strengthen and protect local entrepreneurs, including high-risk tourism licensing, as currently many tourism sectors are dominated by foreigners due to low risks. Regarding tourism human resources, Mr. Nyoman Nuarta from HPI highlighted that tourism practitioners in various regions have unique perspectives, thus competency certifications should be tailored accordingly, whether in hotels, restaurants, tour guiding, or other fields. Moreover, educational institutions in tourism, particularly Bali Tourism Polytechnic, are expected to contribute significantly.
Dr. Ida Bagus Putu Puja, M.Kes, Director of Bali Tourism Polytechnic, outlined that the Polytechnic plays a role under the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia in implementing the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, including research and teaching. The six Polytechnics are divided into their respective centers of excellence, with Bali Tourism Polytechnic focusing on cultural aspects, where research and community service aim to address primary cultural tourism issues. According to Mrs. Diah Sastri, Head of the Center for Research and Community Service of Bali Tourism Polytechnic, there are two current tourism issues in Bali: the uneven centralization of the tourism industry and the need for industry data to support policies based on research and real data. Genpi (Generasi Pesona Indonesia), a youth organization at Bali Tourism Polytechnic, also provided insights into promoting village tourism. According to Genpi Bali Tourism Polytechnic, the role of youth is crucial in promoting tourism in Indonesia. Furthermore, students at Bali Tourism Polytechnic have conducted research on underdeveloped tourism villages and have developed programs for their enhancement.
The working visit by Committee X of the Indonesian Parliament provides a necessary platform for formulating the Tourism Bill, where discussions from tourism associations, tourism educational institutions, and the community contribute valuable perspectives. Chairman of the Committee X delegation, Dede Yusuf, added that further direct observations would be conducted at a tourism destination to assess the current conditions related to tourism issues in Indonesia.
