The Existence of Subak inside the Northern Kuta Tourism Area, Bali

Abstract

Subak recognized as traditional Balinese agricultural institution based on local water management. The existence of subak determines the sustainability of tourism development in Bali. However, there are concerns that the development of the tourism would have an impact on the subak particularly located in the tourism area. The objective of this article is to understand the existence of subak in Northern Kuta Tourism Area. The spatial approach adopted to determine the spatial change that occurs from agriculture to tourism. Based on the spatial analysis with GIS application, interview, and observation can be addressed the spatial change caused by the penetration of accommodation development, tourism amenity, accessibility, and communal facility. Such circumstances occur due to the increasingly limited tourism space in the center of the tourism area or tourism business district (TBD) such as Kuta Beach and Legian. That spatial change indicates the tendency of socio-cultural shifting of the local community around Northern Kuta Tourism Area from agriculture to sub-urban characteristic, thus affecting the existence of subak as the last bastion of the sustainable cultural tourism development in Bali.