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A master's thesis from Aalborg University
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Towards more sustainable tourism development in Bali

Translated title

Master Thesis

Author

Term

4. term

Education

Publication year

2018

Submitted on

Pages

132

Abstract

This thesis examines plastic pollution on Bali’s Seminyak Beach through a sustainable tourism lens to understand how government, NGOs, the private sector, and local communities shape waste handling and environmental pressures. Bali is a pertinent case because tourism is a key economic driver while destination appeal relies on a clean environment. The study draws on one month of fieldwork using qualitative methods, including participant observation, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, and analysis of online reviews, supported by data triangulation. The analysis shows how political, social, and environmental factors intersect: governance roles and responsibilities, NGO and business initiatives, community participation, and persistent shortcomings in waste systems. These dynamics create conflicts of interest and environmental challenges that exacerbate plastic pollution on Seminyak and risk eroding the destination’s image. The thesis argues that without more coherent governance and effective waste management, reinforced by broad stakeholder collaboration, Bali faces potential harm to both tourism branding and the local economy. Specific findings and discussions are framed against existing strategies, highlighting the interplay among policy measures, community-based efforts, corporate responsibility, and recycling initiatives.

Dette speciale undersøger plastforurening på Seminyak-stranden i Bali gennem en ramme for bæredygtig turisme for at forstå, hvordan regering, NGO’er, privat sektor og lokalsamfund sammen påvirker affaldshåndtering og miljøbelastning. Bali er et relevant casestudie, fordi turismen er en central økonomisk drivkraft, samtidig med at destinationens tiltrækningskraft afhænger af et rent miljø. Undersøgelsen bygger på en måneds feltarbejde med kvalitative metoder, herunder deltagerobservation, semistrukturerede interviews med centrale interessenter og gennemgang af online anmeldelser, understøttet af datatriangulering. Analysen belyser, hvordan politiske, sociale og miljømæssige faktorer konvergerer: roller og ansvar i forvaltningen, NGO’ers og virksomheders indsatser, lokalsamfundets deltagelse samt vedvarende fejl og mangler i affaldssystemet. Disse forhold skaber interessekonflikter og miljømæssige udfordringer, som kan forværre plastforurening på Seminyak og svække destinationens omdømme. Specialet peger på, at uden mere sammenhængende styring og effektiv affaldshåndtering, understøttet af bredere interessentsamarbejde, risikerer Bali negative konsekvenser for både turismens image og den lokale økonomi. Konkrete resultater og anbefalinger er diskuteret i lyset af eksisterende strategier, herunder samspillet mellem politiske tiltag, community-baserede indsatser, CSR og genanvendelsesinitiativer.

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