Tourists in Bali Now More Independent; Tourism Oversight Deemed Weak

The chairman of the Indonesian Travel Association (Asita) Bali, I Putu Winastra, has stated that foreign tourists now prefer to travel independently rather than utilise local travel agency services.

According to Putu, this trend is particularly prevalent amongst tourists who statistically constitute the largest share of visitors to Bali, including tourists from Australia and China.

“Particularly Australians, they already consider Bali as their second home, so they already have networks, contacts, and even family in Bali. So they come to these places on their own schedule,” Putu told Kompas.com by telephone on Wednesday (11 March 2026).

However, Putu cautioned that tourists’ freedom to explore Bali’s attractions has not been matched with stringent oversight.

As a result, there are frequent reports of tourist misconduct and accidents affecting visitors whilst sightseeing in Bali.

Consequently, despite the ease of access, weak supervision has failed to promote quality tourism development, including enforcement of business licensing requirements, accommodation permits, and implementation of industry certification standards.

For instance, when tourists stay at local homestays in Bali, the expectation is that this benefits local communities.

“For example, when permits are issued at the district level, the district or city is responsible for oversight. It is unclear how thoroughly this is done. There is overlap, and sometimes officials or the government themselves do not understand the regulations,” Putu said.