Community Leaders and Their Influence on Tourism Development in Bali

Purpose: This paper aims to identify and explain the role of community leaders in the development of tourism in Bali. Bali, which is known as a world tourism destination, is able to develop well and cannot be separated from the participation of the community and the figures in it. The role of community leaders in tourism development in their respective areas is interesting to observe, with the aim of understanding how the capital used by the figures synergizes with the community in developing a destination. Methodology: The data collection was done by observation and interviews and was analyzed using the cultural studies approach, especially the deconstruction method. Deconstruction is aimed at causing a hierarchical order that organizes the text. Findings: The results of the data analysis were presented in a descriptive and narrative form Social capital and cultural capital play an important role in the development of a region into a tourism destination area. Based on direct observations, it was found that some areas like Sanur, Ubud, Pemuteran, and Munduk could develop tourism with a sustainable and community-based concept. In four areas, based on observations and in-depth interviews, tourism in the four places could develop thanks to pioneers who were at the same time community leaders admired by the communities. This phenomenon is interesting to be examined, that is, from the community perspective the role of social and cultural capital in practice has a higher value than economic capital. Thus, this needs to be understood and important to be investigated, especially in the effort of developing sustainable tourism at the village level. Originality/Value: Based on the capital needed in tourism development, cultural capital is the very crucial one that functions to influence people to participate in and support the tourism activities developed in an area