Originally, it was surfers who were drawn to Bali’s excellent surf beaches. As more and more tourists arrived, they discovered the island’s unique culture, and this started another wave of interest from international visitors. Since those early days, Bali has been very good at adapting to trends and assimilating them into its culture. In recent years, Bali has become a hub for wellness retreats with many resorts and dedicated facilities springing up all over the island. Now, the emphasis is on organic, eco-friendly and sustainability on tourists’ radar. This is evident with the plethora of health food shops, eco-friendly resorts and recent programs to reduce waste and rubbish, and other sustainable initiatives.

Read here about Bali set to become plastic bag free

The United Nations has chosen 2017 as the ‘International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development,’ and this will attract a growing number of visitors to Bali who are looking for this aspect of caring for the environment when they book their holidays.

This trend is also reflected in the local real estate market. Andrzej Barski from Seven Stones Indonesia says “More and more of our clients are asking about smart and eco/organic questions when it comes to property.” 

At a glance:

• Bali adapts to current tourism trends from surfing to local culture to wellness retreats
• Now the emphasis is on organic, eco-friendly and sustainability
• The Indonesian government is now focussing on renewable, sustainable energy
• The plan is to increase the share of renewable energy to 23% by 2025
• The 'Renewable Energy for Indonesia' conference will discuss these initiatives

The Indonesian government currently has an ambitious plan, which is part of a larger ASEAN initiative, to focus on renewable, sustainable energy. The plan is to increase the share of renewable energy in the country’s energy mix to 23% by 2025. Indonesia is looking to be an example of successful clean energy deployment, particularly for island nations.

As Indonesia expects the population to grow to 285 million by 2025, one of the greatest challenges is to achieve universal electrification in Indonesia’s remote regions and islands, which are currently dependent on costly diesel fuel, usually imported then transported over long distances.

To make power more affordable for the people throughout the country, the Government is committed to its 35 GW energy plan and increasing the deployment of renewable energy in the country. Rural electrification programs will bring electricity from renewable resources to more than 12,600 villages currently lacking on-demand access.

From the 28th-29th November, there is a conference being hosted in Jakarta, the 3rd edition of ‘Renewable Energy for Indonesia (RE4I 2017).’ It will cover geothermal, hydro, solar, wind, ocean wave and bio energies, calling the focus ‘Renewable Energy: Keystone for universal electrification and energy security.’ The conference will provide potential investors with an interactive platform and allow renewable energy technologies providers to understand the market directions, opportunities and economic priorities.

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