Bali earned the designation of an overtourism hotspots in 2023 due to the visitation of over 5.2 million foreign tourists and a staggering 9.4 million local tourist visits.
The Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, expressed serious concerns regarding Bali’s status as one of overtourism hotspots. Sandiaga mentioned, “Overtourism worries us because, in reality, the tourist numbers are still approximately 30% lower compared to 2019,” during a press conference on 3rd January 2024.
A post from @seasia.news highlighted several other destinations labelled as the worst tourism hotspots in 2023, including Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Miami, Paris, Phuket, and Venice.
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The issue of overtourism in Bali presents both positive and negative impacts that require the government’s attention. With over 14.6 million tourists visiting Bali, the local economy and businesses flourish, evident in the 90% hotel occupancy during the 2024 Christmas and New Year holidays.
However, the downside emerges due to insufficient infrastructure to handle the influx of tourists. Bali’s limited public transportation forces visitors to heavily rely on private vehicles or rentals to navigate the island.
Consequently, the high number of accidents and the emergence of tourists with inappropriate behaviours have become prevalent issues. Weak regulations from the Bali government to address such conduct have led to the proliferation of negative sentiments.
The vivid memory of Bali’s worst traffic jam on December 30, 2023, lingers in my mind, stretching for 4 kilometres across Simpang Dewa Ruci, Kuta, Jimbaran, and the Bali Mandara toll road.
As a consequence, tourists rushing for their flights had to trek from the toll road to reach the airport on time. PT Jasa Marga Bali Toll (JBT) attributed this gridlock to the overwhelming number of Balinese vehicles during the preceding New Year’s celebration. Over 50,000 vehicles flooded Bali, significantly contributing to the traffic chaos.
To prevent such incidents from escalating, the Bali government is devising new plans, including the construction of an LRT system connecting Ngurah Rai International Airport, Seminyak, and Canggu in the upcoming years. The aim is for the LRT to alleviate traffic congestion and reduce the reliance on private vehicles by 2027.
