NusaBali.com reports that the Traditional Village Authority on Kuta Beach in Bali has concluded that too many traders working on the seashore detract from tourists’ enjoyment of the iconic beach area.
Village authorities plan to substantially reduce the number of traders on the beach. New rules to regulate the number of beach traders are now being finalized. I Wayan Wasista, the Traditional Village Chief for Kuta (Bendesa), said he is targeting the new rules to be in place by April-May this year.
Speaking on Sunday, 19 March 2023, Wasista explained that all beach traders had been assigned numbers; only traders able to show their official numbers would be allowed to work on the beach.
The Village Chief said reducing the number of traders on Kuta Beach is necessary due to overcrowding and the reduction of the beach area due to natural erosion of the shoreline.
Wasista said the total number of traders working on Kuta Beach is around 1,168. “The current number of traders is not conducive. If these numbers increase, we’ll have traders fighting over clients,” said the village chief.
When asked what represents an ideal number of traders on Kuta Beach, Wasista suggests the number should be at most 800. That number, he said, can be adjusted further due to observations in the field. Crowding on the beach, he said, is made more acute by the large number of surfing lesson purveyors working the shoreline.
The local village administration is promising sanctions against traders who fail to follow the rules or exhibit unethical behavior towards beach visitors. Sanctions can include simple warnings or losing their “seller registration,” that allows traders to work the beach
“If the image of Kuta Beach is damaged, who will come? Therefore, firm action is needed,” said Wasista.
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