Road Development Program of Isolated Area in Nusa Penida Islands as an Important Determinant of Tourism Development. An Application of Tri Hita Karana Concept to Project Evaluation

Nusa Penida Islands, off the Southeast coast of Bali, Indonesia with its fragile environment, traditional society and marginal economy are highly dependent to Bali Island as its mainland. Tourism development as an economical activity in Nusa Penida Islands is very important considering its geographical limitations. Sustainability is a major issue in Nusa Penida tourism which was identified as having negative impacts (e.g., incompatible development, loss of intangible culture, pollution, wear and tear) caused by the surge in traffic and infrastructure. This study applies “Tri Hita Karana” concept (e.g., Parahyangan, Pawongan, Palemahan) and project evaluation methods to measure the growth of tourism development through its road development program of isolated area in Nusa Penida Islands. This study is the first comprehensive study to explicitly position this preservation planning challenge within the field of cultural tourism management. Field study and data were obtained through questionnaire by taking into account area development, technical and economical aspects. The result of this study shows that the application of “Tri Hita Karana” concept brings a different perspective especially in terms of environmental and cultural conservation. The road development program of isolated area in Nusa Penida Islands was already considered as feasible to begin in 2020, supported by these program evaluation indicators with an interest rate of 18%: NPV of Rp. 181, 090 million BCR of 1.59 and IRR of 24.72%.