In an effort to enhance the tourist experience, the addition of facilities is often a necessity. One such area that has seen improvements is Pantai Jerman (Jerman Beach), located on Wana Segara Street in Tuban Village, Kuta District, Badung, Bali.
The newly introduced facilities include sunbeds or long chairs and a row of beach umbrellas in the vicinity of the beach area. Additionally, there are wooden photo spots located near the “Pantai Jerman” sign.
Kelian Banjar Segara, the traditional village leader of Kuta, I Ketut Werka, explained that the recent facilities have been a long-time desire of the local food stall owners at Pantai Jerman. He further stated that this aspiration has been in the works for a while but has only now come to fruition.
“The desire has been there for a while because they want tourists to enjoy their meals while relaxing. However, we sought assistance from Coca-Cola to provide the umbrellas,” he mentioned on Friday (20/10/2023).
Regarding the addition of sunbeds, as Werka pointed out, they have been provided by individual vendors. There are roughly a total of 24 sunbeds available, and the rental fee is a reasonable IDR 50,000 for single use, without any maximum time constraints.
“This means we give all vendors the freedom to manage these sunbeds. The income generated will be distributed to the operators based on our mutual agreement,” he added.
Werka believes that the addition of these facilities at Pantai Jerman is one of the options for increasing visitor numbers. Not only does it help attract visitors, but it also benefits the service users.
He also revealed that, although this month is considered the low season, the number of visitors to Pantai Jerman remains relatively stable. The average daily visitor count can reach up to 1,000, increasing to 2,500 to 3,000 on holidays.
“At present, the visits are still primarily from domestic tourists; only 10% are foreigners. Many tourists have already taken advantage of these new facilities, especially foreign visitors. They tend to choose the sunbeds to sunbathe and enjoy the local cuisine,” he explained.
As such, he believes these changes will lead to a brighter future. Furthermore, they aim to ensure the local economy continues to thrive. The additional facilities are expected to be used responsibly by visitors, making it a common practice to help maintain them.
“In the future, we have additional innovations, such as photo spots and more. We are also planning to establish a turtle sanctuary here. We are currently selecting a location due to the limited beach space. In early 2024, we plan to add sand to expand the area; hopefully, this can be realized,” he concluded.