Bali Governor Prioritises Five Key Areas of Tourism Development to Boost Competitiveness

Bali Governor Wayan Koster is prioritising the development of five key areas within the tourism sector to boost the island’s competitiveness against other global tourist destinations.

“We will continue to improve these areas to ensure that this ecosystem remains well-maintained and competitive with other countries that are popular tourist destinations,” said Koster during the opening of the United States consulate in Jimbaran, Badung Regency, Bali, on Wednesday.

The five key areas of focus for tourism development in Bali are cultural development, environmental sustainability, infrastructure, transportation, and waste management.

According to Koster, infrastructure and transportation development will focus on reducing traffic congestion to ensure tourists feel comfortable and safe during their holidays in Bali.

This priority is also included in the 100-year development plan, which aims to create a high-quality and dignified culture-based tourism sector.

In addition, the challenges posed by other global tourist destinations are also being used as a benchmark to improve Bali.

“At the end of last year, we faced some challenges and issues. However, the number of tourists visiting Bali actually increased to over seven million in 2025 and 2026. I have observed that the daily arrival numbers are positive,” he said.

Furthermore, the government is also paying attention to the behaviour of tourists to ensure they comply with local laws and customs.

“To this end, we have created a circular outlining what tourists are allowed and not allowed to do during their holidays in Bali,” he added.

According to data from the Bali Central Statistics Agency (BPS) in 2025, the number of foreign tourists visiting Bali reached 6.94 million, an increase of 9.72 percent compared to 6.3 million in 2024.

This number of nearly seven million foreign tourists is the highest since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Australia was the largest contributor to foreign tourist arrivals, with 1.62 million visitors, followed by 569,000 from China and 537,000 from other countries.