BADUNG – Bali Governor Wayan Koster firmly dismissed claims that foreign tourist arrivals to Bali have declined toward the end of 2025. On the contrary, actual conditions at the international arrivals terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport show an increase of 600,000 foreign visitors. Governor Koster directly observed the situation on Sunday, December 28, 2025.
Governor Koster received the latest data while leading a coordination meeting and inspecting airport service readiness ahead of the year-end and New Year holiday season at Ngurah Rai Airport, together with Angkasa Pura, Immigration authorities, and related stakeholders.
“In 2024, the total number of foreign tourist arrivals to Bali reached 6.3 million. In 2025, up to December 26, the figure has reached 6.9 million, meaning an increase of 600,000 foreign visitors as of December 26, 2025,” Governor Koster explained.
He projected that by the end of 2025, the total number of foreign tourists visiting Bali would reach at least 7.05 million, representing an increase of more than 600,000 visitors year-on-year.
“This is because the average daily arrivals range between 23,000 and 24,000 people. Based on our calculations up to December 31—covering December 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31—if we use an average of 24,000 arrivals per day over five days, there will be an additional 120,000 foreign tourists,” Koster added.
However, regarding domestic tourists, Governor Koster acknowledged that there has been a decline compared to the previous year. In 2024, domestic tourist arrivals to Bali reached 10.1 million. As of December 26, 2025, the number stood at 9.2 million.
“There is a decrease. By December 31, 2025, it may reach around 9.4 million, meaning a decline of approximately 600,000 to 700,000 domestic tourists,” he explained.
Overall, the total number of foreign and domestic tourists in 2025 is projected to decline by around 200,000 visitors, mainly due to the decrease in domestic tourist arrivals.
“In total, the combined number of foreign and domestic tourists in 2024 reached 16.4 million. As of December 26, 2025, it stands at 16.1 million, indicating a decrease of around 300,000. However, the year is not yet over, and by December 31, the total decline is estimated to be around 200,000 visitors,” he said.
Governor Koster explained that the decline in domestic tourist arrivals is largely due to a reduction in domestic flights to Bali. In 2024, there were 13 domestic airlines serving Bali, which decreased to 11 airlines in 2025. Similarly, domestic flight routes declined from 25 routes in 2024 to 23 routes in 2025.
“One of the main causes of this decline is that some aircraft operated by Garuda Indonesia and Citilink are undergoing scheduled maintenance, as required due to their service lifecycle. As a result, flights to Bali have been reduced, and the limited number of aircraft has led to consistently full flights,” emphasized the two-term Governor of Bali.
This situation contrasts with the continued growth in international routes and airlines. In 2025, the number of international airlines operating at Ngurah Rai Airport reached 46, up from 43 in the previous year. Meanwhile, international flight routes increased to 44 routes in 2025, compared to 40 routes previously.
Meanwhile, hotel occupancy rates ahead of Christmas 2025 and New Year 2026 ranged between 75% and 85%, slightly higher than the previous year’s range of 79% to 84%. However, on a year-on-year basis—from January to December 2025—hotel occupancy experienced a contraction of around 4%.
“This is because many tourists now choose accommodations that are not tax-paying hotels, such as private villas, personal residences, or other facilities not registered as tourism businesses. This is one of the factors contributing to the decline in hotel occupancy rates in Bali, which does not align with the increase in foreign tourist arrivals in 2025,” Koster explained.
In addition, Governor Koster noted that heavy rainfall in Bali in recent days, along with flooding in several areas, has caused many tourists to remain within their hotels and limit outdoor activities, making tourist destinations appear less crowded.
“From December until January 1, rainfall has ranged from moderate to heavy, resulting in flooding in several locations. I believe this has created uncomfortable conditions. That is likely why hotel occupancy rates are high, but tourist activities outside hotels are less vibrant compared to last year, due to unfavorable weather,” Koster added.
The coordination meeting also aimed to further improve service quality at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport for arriving tourists. Governor Koster stated that waiting times for foreign tourists—covering immigration processing, Visa on Arrival (VOA), and baggage claim—have significantly improved. Previously, waiting times could reach up to 1.5 hours, but currently they have been reduced to no more than 57 minutes. (*)
