Tourism Could Reverse Coral Decline in Bali’s Sanur, Study Finds

Sanur, a Bali beach town that grew into a tourist hub in the 1920s, now faces steady coral reef loss despite restoration projects that plant fragments or build artificial reefs. A new study in *Ocean & Coastal Management* shows that these efforts often ignore the main causes of decline—sediment runoff and wastewater discharge. Lead author Min Chung, a University of Tokyo master’s student, analyzed reef health data and interviewed 18 stakeholders, including government agencies, local authorities, community groups, academics, fishers, and tourism operators. The research highlights competing interests and differing views on reef preservation and tourism’s role. It suggests that targeting fundamental drivers could make restoration more effective and that tourism, if managed responsibly, could help reverse the reef’s deterioration.