Sua Bali is a small-scale, socially responsible tourism project that aims to provide an authentic and enriching experience for not just for the visitor, but for the host community as well. This means that the encounter between visitor and host should respect the economic, socio-cultural and environmental interests of the local population while offering visitors an opportunity to learn genuinely learn about the host culture.

Background and aims of the project

• As in many countries, tourism in Bali has resulted in disappointment for both the local communities and tourists.
• There are disappointed Balinese who reap little of the economic benefits of tourism.
• The social and cultural environment has changed under the weight of mass tourism.
• Tourists often leave the island wondering what has happened to the "real Bali".

As a starting point for change, Ida Ayu Agung Mas founded Sua Bali to create an alternative to the mainstream models of tourism. Sua Bali, which means "meet and understand Bali" avoids the common negative impacts of tourism while at the same time it maximises the economic advantages for the local population. In this environment, tourists have a genuine opportunity to become acquainted with Bali and to understand on a more meaningful level something of Bali's unique culture.

Sua Bali has three goals:

• To maximise economic benefits for the local population
• To minimise/avoid social, cultural and environment degradation
• To satisfy the needs and wishes of the tourists

 Sua Bali has created:

• A positive relationship with the local community
• Accommodations in classical Balinese style, remotely situated from the tourist centres, on the edge of the village
• A complex that is an information and learning centre, that allows Bali to be studied and skills such language, cooking or crafts learned
• A base from which individuals can explore Bali