The Bali Central Statistics Agency has reported that foreign tourist arrivals to Bali from January to October 2024 reached 5,309,360 visits.
This figure surpasses the number of arrivals during the same period in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. This marks a remarkable recovery in Bali’s tourism sector.
Foreign tourist visits have increased by 20.98% compared to the previous year, 2023. While a decline was observed in October 2024, Bali continues to show a solid recovery in its tourism industry.
Foreign Tourist Arrivals Exceed Pre-Pandemic
According to AntaraNews, compared to 2019, foreign tourist arrivals in Bali in 2024 have shown significant growth.
In 2019, Bali recorded 5,224,882 foreign tourist visits, whereas by October 2024, that number had risen to 5,309,360, a difference of 84,478 more visits. Despite a decrease in October 2024, Bali’s tourism sector is still performing better than the previous year.
In October 2024, Kadek Agus, Head of Central Statistics Agency in Bali, reported a 5.72% decline in foreign tourist arrivals, from 593,909 visits in September to 559,911 in October.
A decrease was also noted in air travel arrivals, which dropped by 6.24%, while sea arrivals saw a significant increase of 143.52%.
Before the pandemic, tourists from China were consistently one of the largest groups visiting Bali, and their return was highly anticipated.
However, in October 2024, Bali Central Statistics Agency recorded a decrease in Chinese tourist arrivals, dropping from 41,002 visits in September to 33,645 in October.
Kadek Agus explained that Australia had historically been the largest source of foreign tourists, though China also ranked highly in previous years.
Recently, China has experienced a notable decline in arrivals. Nevertheless, he noted that the number of visitors from other countries continues to improve consistently, meaning that the decline from China may still fluctuate.
The top five countries with the highest number of foreign visitors in October 2024 were Australia (141,395 visits), India (43,537 visits), China (33,645 visits), France (28,018 visits), and the United Kingdom (26,498 visits).
Foreign Tourist Levy Faces Low Compliance
DDTC reports, The Bali Provincial Government introduced a tourism levy for foreign visitors starting in February 2024.
By the end of November 2024, the levy had raised IDR 287 billion (approximately USD 18.4 million), with only 40% of the 4.7 million foreign tourists paying the levy.
This means that about 60% of foreign tourists have not yet paid the levy. To increase compliance, the government plans to tighten monitoring at airports and travel agencies, as well as continue to promote the payment process via the “Love Bali” app.
Tjok Bagus Pemayun, Head of the Bali Tourism Office, pointed out that the lack of checks at airports has allowed many foreign tourists to bypass the levy system.
Therefore, the Bali provincial government is working to raise awareness among tourists about the requirement by involving travel agencies and airport authorities to provide clear information on how to pay the levy.
The tourism levy, implemented under Law No. 15/2023 on the Province of Bali and Regional Regulation No. 6/2023, applies to foreign tourists entering Bali from both international and domestic destinations. The fee is set at IDR 150,000 (approximately USD 10) per person.
This levy will be reviewed every three years. The funds collected will be used to support policies related to cultural preservation and environmental protection, contributing to the long-term sustainability of Bali’s tourism industry, with or without additional external funding sources.
Sources: AntaraNews, DDTC News
Image : AntaraNews//FikriYusuf
