Locals in the Indonesian holiday hotspot of Bali have urged authorities to filter out cost-conscious travellers who spend more time but less money on the island, in a shift towards quality tourism.
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Small business owners have become increasingly annoyed with the spending habits of some backpackers blamed for lower profits, forcing them to eject such thrifty guests from their premises.
“I told them to come out of my stall because they didn’t shop, just bought a glass of iced tea, then sat for hours, chatting for hours,” fish restaurant owner Ibu Parubaya was quoted in The Bali Sun as saying.
“It’s blocking other customers who want to eat here. [They should be used to being] kicked out because it’s normal.”
Bargaining hard with fruit vendors and occupying stalls to eat food bought elsewhere were also among grievances that an industry representative believed could be addressed by taking a leaf out of Bhutan’s book.
The Bali Sun reported that Wayan Puspa Negara, head of the Bali Marginal Tourism Actors Alliance, said backpackers were repeat visitors to the tropical paradise and they could be kept in check like in the Himalayan kingdom where the number of foreign arrivals was controlled.
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