Kuta, January 4, 2025 – Bali tourism, especially the coastal area, has been in the spotlight lately since the accumulation of garbage on the western coast of Badung Regency, including Kuta Beach. Minister of Tourism, Widi Wardhana, went directly with the academic community of Bali Tourism Polytechnic (BiTP) in a clean-up action on Kuta Beach with the title ‘Sea Waste Clean-up Action’.
The Minister of Tourism collaborated with BiTP to move to the beach in the Kuta area to intensify the beach clean-up action. The accumulation of garbage in the Kuta beach area has had a negative impact on this international tourism icon. The beach clean-up action is a concrete step in overcoming the piles of garbage that have become a spotlight for both local and foreign tourists.
“The problem of garbage in marine destinations requires awareness and real action from all, including the government, tourism managers, the community and tourists,” said Minister of Tourism (Menpar) Widiyanti Putri Wardhana at Kuta Beach, Badung Regency, Bali, Saturday. She explained that the concrete action was one of the efforts to overcome the piles of garbage sent to beach tourist attractions that have recently been in the spotlight of domestic and foreign tourists.
The Director of BiTP, Dr. Drs. Ida Bagus Putu Puja, M.Kes., conveyed a similar thing when accompanying the Minister of Tourism. According to Dr. Puja, this activity invites students and employees of BiTP to directly see the situation and help clean the Kuta Beach area. “As Balinese people, we are aware that tourism plays an important role in the economic sector, especially during this holiday season. BiTP strives to always support the government’s efforts in advancing tourism and preserving nature,” explained Dr. Puja. The Director of BiTP also added that our campus continues to increase efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the beach cleaning activity in the context of the ‘Sea Waste Cleanup Action’, it also touches on the implementation of three target goals, namely no. 14 (Life Below Water). no. 15 (Life on Land) and no. 17 (Partnership for the Goals). Beach cleaning activities that not only have an impact on the marine ecosystem by reducing plastic waste, but also maintain the sustainability of nature on land (beaches) with more efficient cleaning and handling of waste. Moreover, this activity is a dynamic collaboration between all parties, both government, educational institutions and the community where shared awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability has increased.
The beach cleaning activity began at 06.00 A.M at Kuta Beach with around 500 academics from BiTP including lecturers and staff involved in this real action. The activity began with the distribution of equipment and division of beach cleaning action areas, opening activities, direction from the Indonesian Minister of Tourism and the implementation of the ‘Clean Country Action’ with a series of waste collection, collection according to type, weighing and transportation.
The activity initiated by the Ministry of Environment/Environmental Control Agency also invited other central governments including the Minister of Public Works, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Special Envoy of the President for the Development of the Young Generation and Artists. After carrying out the beach cleaning action, all officials and participants also witnessed the weighing and sorting process of waste and a demo of waste and wood shredders.
Bali Tourism Polytechnic as a state tourism university always continues to support positive activities in advancing tourism, including maintaining environmental sustainability through real action.
