BANGLI, Bali (BPN) – Indonesia Tourism Ministry invited winners of the 2018 Indonesia Tourism Sustainable Photo Competition (ISTPC) to Penglipuran Tourism Village, and directly witnessing the implementation of sustainable tourism in Bali, on Friday, November 9. According to Valerina Daniel, the Ministry’s Deputy for Sustainable Tourism Development, there are six winners from 265 participants from 20 countries at the competition which was held on September 17 to October 28, 2018.
Penglipuran Village is one of the tourism villages located in Bangli Regency and famous for its reputation as one of the cleanest villages in the world. Besides, Penglipuran also received the 2017 Indonesia Sustainable Tourism Award (ISTA) as the best in cultural preservation category.
The ISTPC 2018 winners are from Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Turkey and Germany also invited to stay in the Penglipuran Village homestays to enjoy local culture and traditions. “The ISTPC 2018 winners are not just visiting the village, but also involved in arts, cultural and joint activities with local peoples,” Valerina said.
Valerina explained, the ISTPC 2018 trips applies to the principles of sustainable tourism, namely people, planet and prosperity (3P). Thus, the trips are also programmed to be environmentally friendly, plastic and garbage free.
“We understand that the success of sustainable tourism program should involves the societies. Thus we have to be able to use the advancing digital communication and information technology to promote the sustainable tourism destination,” she explained.
Furthermore, Valerina explained that Bali has the potency to become the world’s sustainable tourism center because of its tourism concept that based on Tri Hita Karana (Balinese Hindu’s philosophy of three ways to reach happiness).
“Bali has the opportunity to become a major player in sustainable tourism at the global level,” she said.
Meanwhile, Achmad Iskandar Bin Abdullah, one of the winners from Singapore, said he was very happy with this activity. “I am happy to be involved and to take pictures in rural areas,” he explained.
After enjoying Balinese culture and traditions in Penglipuran Village, the ISTPC 2018 winners will continue their trip by visiting Labuan Bajo, Nusa Tenggara Timur.
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