Bali’s identity is alive and well, says its governor

Bali’s “sometimes uncontrolled” tourism development has not, and will not, kill Bali’s identity as a spiritual place, according to the island’s governor, I Made Pastika.

Bali welcomed some 2.75 million foreign tourists last year, a number Mr Pastika predicts will double by 2015, Fairfax Media reported.

But on the tenth anniversary of the Bali bombings, which claimed 202 lives, Mr Pastika admitted that while tourism was contributing to increased wealth, it was also bringing with it other problems.

“Our people are getting more and more prosperous, but on the other side there are lots of problems - traffic jams, garbage, water problems, [shortage of] accommodation, [and] pollution,” he said.

"We want Bali [to be] still Bali, with the unique culture, with the friendly people and beautiful landscapes, and living culture."

Nearly 800,000 Australians visited Bali last year, following a slump in the aftermath of the infamous Sari Club bombing in 2002.