Bali Governor Reports 8 Per Cent Rise in Foreign Tourist Arrivals Ahead of Nyepi and Eid al-Fitr
Bali Governor Wayan Koster has reported that foreign tourist arrivals to the Island of the Gods have increased ahead of the Nyepi Hindu Day of Silence and Eid al-Fitr in 2026. Koster claims that the trend of foreign tourist visits to Bali remains stable.
“Development in the number of foreign tourists arriving in Bali up to 8 March, which I have been monitoring, has shown an 8 per cent increase. So it is not declining, but increasing,” said Koster when met during the Operasi Ketupat Agung 2026 troop parade at Bali Police Rapid Response Unit headquarters in Denpasar on Thursday (12 March 2026).
According to Koster, the upward trend in foreign tourist arrivals is evident from busy flight activities at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. It is known that Ngurah Rai Airport will be closed for 24 hours during Nyepi on 19 March.
“Ngurah Rai Airport remains open because it only closes during Nyepi. With blessings and thanks to the cooperation of all regional governments and the leadership coordination forum, the police, military, and all their personnel, Bali is very conducive. The world sees Bali as a positive destination,” added the PDI-P politician.
Koster considers security stability to be one of the important factors that makes tourists choose the Island of the Gods as their travel destination. He hopes this positive trend in the tourism sector continues, providing benefits for regional economic growth and the welfare of Balinese people.
“Foreign tourists experience comfort in Bali, so visits to Bali are increasing. Hopefully this will continue into the future because it is very important for Bali’s economic development,” concluded the two-term Bali governor.
Hotel and Restaurant Operators Predict Increased Tourism Three Days After Eid al-Fitr
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) predicts that hotel occupancy in Denpasar will increase three days after Eid al-Fitr. Tourist visits to Denpasar are predicted to be dominated by domestic tourists.
“During Nyepi, I think occupancy will remain flat, although there are some staycation guests but the numbers are small. Perhaps two to three days after Eid al-Fitr the trend will increase,” said PHRI Denpasar City Chair Ida Bagus Gede Sidharta Putra on Thursday.
Putra believes the public tends to take advantage of the holiday itself for religious worship and ceremonies. Meanwhile, leisure holidays are typically taken after the religious holiday. This trend was also evident during Christmas celebrations at the end of last year.
“Usually there is an increase (in tourists) during Eid al-Fitr,” explained Putra.
The manager of Hotel Grand Santhi in Denpasar acknowledged that hotel occupancy has currently increased 10 per cent compared to the Nyepi and Eid al-Fitr period last year. Hotel management ensured that hotel operational activities and services during Nyepi run normally whilst adhering to government directives.
“This year, occupancy is not at maximum, but has increased 10 per cent from last year because of the promotions we have conducted, both through social media and visits to several places in Bali and Java,” said Hotel Grand Santhi Marketing Manager Maikel Pardede.