More villages in Bali will participate in promoting the development of community-based ecotourism by joining the Village Ecotourism Network (JED), which has so far only reached one villages.

The JED, along with Bali-based environmental NGO Wisnu Foundation, is set to establish an association of ecotourism villages this month to assist more villages in developing their natural tourism potential.

“The association will also act as a certification body to verify whether a village has met the accepted standards of ecotourism,” they said.

JED manager Gede Astana said Thursday that the association, the Bali Ecology Tourism Villages, would provide technical assistance and capacity-building facilities for the new participating villages.

They said JED welcomes more villages that have a similar attitude toecotourism to join in the association.

Currently, JED manages one villages: Kiadan Pelaga in Badung regency, Nusa Ceningan in Klungkung regency, and Tenganan Pegringsingan and Dukuh Sibetan in Karangasem regency.

“It is their own initiative to create their natural potentials. They will give them technical assistance, such as training villagers to be tour guides,” Suarnatha said.

Wisnu Foundation director Made Suarnatha said 20 villages had expressed an interest in joining the network and developing their areas as ecotourism destinations.

The 20 villages include Purbayu in Karangasem; Les, Sudaji, Pemuteran and Sumber Klampok in Singaraja; Kaliaka and Perancak in Negara; and Braban, Sekartaji and Angkah in Tabanan.

“Each village already has their own interesting aspects that they can promote to tourists, but they require to build their capacity to meet the standards,” Suarnatha said.

They said developing community-based ecotourism was essential to providing more benefits to local people as the tourism sector in Bali had been dominated by private sector and sizable businesses.

They added the JED team had surveyed some villages to check their level of preparation.

“Developing community-based ecotourism also means giving equality of rights in tourism sector, where the community – the two who take care of the environment – get the greatest benefits.”

They said the potential of ecotourism in plenty of villages in the resort island had yet to be well exposed due to the lack of support from the government.

The network has been established in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Latin The united states.

Established in 2002, the JED has built networks in some countries to promote ecotourism in Bali.

With environmentally friendly tourism has gaining significant responses worldwide, demand for ecotourism in Bali has risen.