Badung Regency, a fast-growing and most-visited region in Bali, is improving its infrastructure and accessibility to keep up with the tourism boom.
Covering some of Bali’s most popular tourist regions, Badung Regency stretches from southern Nusa Dua, Uluwatu and Jimbaran to Seminyak and Canggu along the west coast, up to Mengwi and Plaga in the northern part of the territory.
State-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura I, which manages Ngurah Rai International Airport, is expanding the airport’s apron to allow 11 additional parking stands, bringing the available slots up to a total 63 aircraft. This development is currently underway and is expected be ready in time for the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in October.
Improvements are being made to the regency’s infrastructure. The 712m-long Ngurah Rai Underpass – set to be ready in August – will reduce traffic congestion around the Ngurah Rai Statue roundabout by 50 per cent, while a nine-km outer ring road connecting Nusa Dua and Jimbaran is currently under development.
The regency is also developing itself into a ‘smart city’. A project, which involves the installation of 385 CCTV cameras in 986 locations across the regency, as well as a Wi-Fi network, is scheduled to be completed by October.
Addressing the media at the ongoing Bali and Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) 2018 in Bali yesterday, I Made Badra, Badung Regency’s head of tourism, said: “The CCTV cameras are placed at tourist attractions and other strategic locations to provide safety and security for travellers and the community alike. The Wi-Fi network will be available across the regency free of charge to (enable tourists to stay connected).”
Badung will also boast a new landmark in Bali once the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Statue at the GWK Cultural Park is completed. The world’s third tallest statue at 121m tall, the statue will be inaugurated by president Joko Widodo in August.
