Why does Indonesias Bali province want to ban hotel construction? – National [Video]

Indonesia has agreed to set a moratorium on the construction of hotels, villas and nightclubs in some areas on the tourist resort island of Bali, as it grapples with the over-development of land, a senior ministry official said on Monday.

The moratorium is part of the government’s bid to reform tourism on Bali, one of Indonesia’s main attractions, to try to boost quality and jobs while preserving the island’s indigenous culture.

Hermin Esti, a senior official at the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investment Affairs, told Reuters the government had agreed to set the moratorium, although the exact timeline was still being discussed.

On Saturday, Bali’s interim governor Sang Made Mahendra Jaya said he suggested the moratorium in four of Bali’s busy areas to the central government, taking aim at over-development for commercial purposes, such as hotels, villas, and beach clubs.

The governor’s office and Indonesia’s tourism ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.