BADUNG – Bali Governor Wayan Koster chaired a Cross-Agency Coordination Meeting (Rakor) on improving services at the International Terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport. The meeting took place at the Ngurah Rai Airport Conference Room, Tuban, Badung, on Saturday (23/8).
The meeting was attended by Head of Regional Office of Customs and Excise for Bali, NTB, and NTT R. Fadjar Donny Tjahjadi; Head of Class I Special Immigration Office Ngurah Rai, Winarko; Head of Airport Authority Region IV, Cecep Kurniawan; General Manager of PT Angkasa Pura I I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab; as well as several related regional government officials from the Bali Provincial Government.
In his remarks, Governor Koster emphasized the importance of upgrading services at Ngurah Rai Airport, which serves as the main entry point for international visitors to Indonesia and a global tourism gateway. “I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport must become world-class with high-quality, efficient, accurate, safe, clean, and globally competitive services,” he stated.
The Governor highlighted several issues that need urgent attention, including long queues at immigration checkpoints, weak supervision of foreign nationals, delays in baggage claim, and long queues at Customs due to tourists not filling out online forms. Other concerns include the presence of illegal transportation services, lack of cleanliness and security, traffic congestion at entry and exit points, as well as emergency procedures that do not yet meet international standards.
“We can no longer work in the usual way. Problems such as long immigration queues, weak foreigner supervision, baggage delays, and suboptimal cleanliness and security must be resolved immediately,” Koster stressed.
To address these issues, the Governor urged the airport authority to make strategic improvements, including replacing outdated facilities, reorganizing entry and exit systems to ease congestion, enhancing cleanliness, adopting eco-friendly electric vehicles for operations, and preparing Foreign Tourist Levy (PWA) counters at strategic locations.
According to Governor Koster, the Foreign Tourist Levy is crucial as a source of revenue for Bali to address fundamental problems such as traffic congestion caused by insufficient infrastructure, waste management, and the preservation of local traditions and culture—pillars of Bali’s tourism industry.
He also reminded all agencies operating at the airport to maintain professionalism with commitment, dedication, and integrity, while refraining from illegal levies or practices that could harm tourists. “Ngurah Rai Airport is the face of Bali and the face of Indonesia in the eyes of the world. All agencies must honor this responsibility,” he affirmed.
Governor Koster further emphasized the need for synergy among service units to ensure that I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport truly becomes a world-class hub that safeguards Bali’s image and enhances global competitiveness.
Following the meeting, the Governor and his delegation conducted an on-site inspection of various services at the Arrival Terminal, including immigration, baggage, customs, and the designated area for the upcoming PWA counters.***
