Bali Considering An App To Ensure Tourists Behave

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Officials in Bali are working around the clock to find impactful and novel solutions to try and eliminate illegal and disrespectful behavior by tourists.

From implementing a new set of policy changes to installing huge billboards, progress is already underway. As the discussions continue, more and more ideas are being put on the table. 

A few weeks ago, the Deputy Governor of Bali, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati, tabled a novel way to deter tourists from behaving badly at key attractions and cultural landmarks in Bali.

The Deputy Governor, who is often referred to by his nickname, Cok Ace, suggested that plaques or signboards be installed at tourist attractions where violations have occurred, like at the Kayu Putih Sacred Tree.

He suggested installing signage that indicated not only the illegal behavior conducted by tourists but also the consequences they faced, that this would help educate tourists and deter any future incidents from happening. 

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While Cok Ace’s idea is still on the table, other tourism stakeholders and leaders are equally as keen to take a proactive approach to educate tourists about the do’s and don’ts of visiting Bali.

It is clear that although the newly established Tourism Task Forces have been deployed to act on any reports of illegal actions or disrespectful behavior, leaders in Bali want to see bad behavior stopped before it’s had a chance to happen. Prevention is better than a cure, as the old saying goes. 

With this in mind, the Bali Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), which are a powerful tourism stakeholder on the island, have suggested that a phone application could be created that contains the do’s and don’ts of how to behave on the island. 

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Last week Governor Wayan Koster issued his Circular Letter Number 4 of 2023; this letter contained twelve obligations and eight prohibited behaviors for tourists to adhere to, in addition to the law of Indonesia.

These guidelines had a strong focus on respecting Balinese culture, local customs, and the law.

Unlike a similar list of do’s and don’t issue by the national tourism board, Wonderful Indonesia, the guidelines shared by Governor Koster did not give tips for tourists to make the most of their time on the island.

The advice issued by Wonderful Indonesia about how to behave in Bali not only outlined appropriate behavior and laws to be aware of but also shared suggestions for tourists to really immerse in local culture and try new experiences in order to make the most of their visit to the island. 

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An application containing up-to-the-minute regulations for tourists in Bali may be a positive step forward to help everyone start singing from the same song sheet regarding behavior.

Indonesia is keen to grow in the digital and technology space and is already taking strides to ensure that the services offered by immigration are digitized and sit on par with the ‘gold standard’ online immigration platforms utilized around the world.

An application that tourists download upon arrival that is designed to help tourists understand the law, local customs, and how to experience the best of what Bali has to offer seems like a smart move. 

Speaking to reporters, the Deputy Chairperson of the PHRI Bali, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Suryawijaya, said an application would help share information and could double as a platform for the government to handle reports of misbehavior. 

Suryawijaya said, “The contents or content will be the rules related to do’s and don’ts, so what must be done and what is prohibited. These rules must be understood before [tourists] stay, and this is to prevent [bad behavior].”

He added that the application, if established, would have a multilingual function, ensuring that tourists from English-speaking countries, China, Japan, and France, would be able to access the information easily.

The Bali Tourism Office already has an application called Love Bali that is available on the Apple App Store.

The app was created as a platform to collect donations to support development on the island. The initiative was spoken of highly by leaders when it was launched, but very few tourists are even aware of the platform. 

It seems that Suryawijaya is suggesting a new application would be made rather than adding the rules and regulations as a feature on the existing app.

Suryawijaya said that this application would be a supporting resource to the do’s and don’t information card that is now being given to all tourists on arrival to Bali.