Opinion

The Covid crisis has hit Bali hard and exposed something we knew to be a real possibility, an economy too dependent on a single sector. Bali’s economy was, and still is, 80-85% dependent directly or indirectly on tourism. Farmers, drivers and local shops are still dependent on tourists coming and eating, hiring buses and taxis

Jimmy Knowles, a friend of mine in Connecticut, is a sculptor and many years ago I watched in fascination as he used a crane to get a huge tree trunk into position then attacked it with a buzz–saw. “Are you serious?”I asked, “what are you doing?’” “Creating, my boy, creating!’ he said. He hacked a

Who do you identify with? So many people feel close to celebrities who somehow reinforce their feelings of who they are. This often happens with singers whose lyrics resonate with the challenges and transitions in people’s lives. They know every word on their albums and you can see them singing along at concerts . Others

What the last few years has shown us here in Bali is that too much of the island is dependent on one industry: tourism. Are there other industries that are worth exploring and expanding for Bali’s economic future? According to a study by the Indonesia Institue (Monash University), 80 percent of Bali’s GDP is dependent

When the way we approach our industry with the mantra ‘growth is good’, it sets us on the wrong path. Two tourism experts share how slowing down is actually the way to improve tourism. Do we really want headlines like these for our destinations? “Over tourism still threatens Angkor Wat” – Phnom Penh Post “Skip

Bali’s tourism industry is passed its carrying capacity. Environmental-economist Sean Nino shares his solutions and vision on how to effectively manage the island’s resources for a greener, more environmentally-friendly future. For the longest time, Bali has measured the success of its tourism industry based on one metric: tourist arrivals. This means that ‘improvement’ is predicated

With the term ‘Nature is Healing’ becoming popular over the internet during Covid-19 lockdowns worldwide, NOW! Bali speaks to environmental experts on the island to see whether this trend was also visible in Bali. The reduction in human activity during the outbreak has reportedly had fascinating impacts. When cities came to a sudden standstill, the

Have you ever seen that great cartoon of the man proudly doing his own home decoration, setting himself high standards of quality and finish , carefully preparing his work tools and his schedule then finally starting on the “ piece de resistance” a magnificent wooden floor he has sanded and buffed, and now is varnishing…

What Covid-19 has taught us, amongst a multitude of other lessons, is how incredibly dependent we all are on the economic system. When the wheel stops, we begin to realise that our most basic needs may become more difficult to attain — food, water, electricity, it’s all gone if we aren’t all getting paid. So,

With tourism at a dead end in Bali, NOW! Bali speaks to some industry leaders to hear their insights and thoughts on the Covid-19 situation. Looking to hear from different sides of the industry, we hear from the board of the Bali Hotels Association, as well as Jack Daniels, owner Bali Discovery Tours,and the editor

There isn’t much talk about holidays going on at the moment as the entire world – well quite a lot of it – is actually stuck indoors, locked down or social distancing or whatever the local discipline is called.  But maybe many of those people are already beginning to get the urge, possibly stronger, a