Travel trends are changing in Bali faster than we can keep up with. While some travel trends come and go as quickly as the clouds, others change seasonally, and some have always felt set in stone.
All that is changing, however, as Australian tourists, Bali’s most frequent international arrivals for more than a decade, have been knocked off the number one spot.
Australian tourists have long been the most frequent international arrivals to Bali. With Australia and Indonesia having such a special relationship, culturally, economically, and politically, Bali has been a bridge between the two worlds.
Bali is a real home away from home for Australian holidaymakers, with many travelers making the hop over to the Island of the Gods several times a year to soak up the sun nd the slower pace of life.
The latest travel data suggests that travel trends are changing in Bali and around Indonesia. Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS) has recorded an increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia at the start of the year. Foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia reached 1.09 million in March 2026, a 10.50% increase compared to March 2025.
In a press statement, Head of the Indonesian Statistics Agency (BPS), Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, shared, “The average expenditure of foreign tourists per visit in the first quarter of 2026 reached US$1,345.61, with an average length of stay of 10.84 nights.”
Cumulatively, in January-March 2026, the total number of foreign tourist visits to Indonesia reached 3.44 million, approximately 8.62% higher than the same period in 2025. Malaysian tourists are the driving force behind international arrivals to Indonesia right now, both nationally and specifically in Bali.
The Central Statistics Agency found that Malaysian foreign tourists still ranked first in visiting Indonesia in March 2026, amounting to 186.53 thousand visits (17.14%), followed by Australia with 130.72 thousand visits (12.01%), and Singapore with 102.82 thousand visits (9.45%).
One travel trend that has been slowly increasing over the last few years is the number of Indian tourists visiting Indonesia. With new daily direct flights from India to Bali, demand for travel to the archipelago by Indian travelers is gaining ever more traction.
Widyasanti told reporters, “In March 2026, the total number of Indian tourist visits to Indonesia was recorded at 53,800,000, with the majority entering through Ngurah Rai Airport, amounting to 42,460,000 visits, or 78.92% of the total number of Indian tourists entering Indonesia.”
Speaking separately, Senior Economist at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF), Tauhid Ahmad, shared his insights on the growing number of tourist visits.
He shared, “If foreign tourists grow, it means that external confidence is still strong, that Indonesia remains a relatively good destination for tourists. Why is this happening? It’s possible that some regions that haven’t had a positive attraction in 2025 will begin to recover, especially in several tourist countries.”
He added that tourism leaders should continue to focus on promoting travel and tourism to Bali and other top tourist destinations in Indonesia to the most frequent international arrivals, including Australia, Malaysia, Russia, Japan, China, and India.
He concluded with a confident vision for tourism in Indonesia for 2026, even with ongoing geopolitical tensions impacting traveler behavior: “Our target of around 13-15 million tourists per year can be achieved.”
Australian tourists’ travel interests are changing, with more direct flight services launching from top destination points in Oz to emerging travel destinations in Indonesia. Tourism observers are curious as to whether Australians’ love affair with Bali is starting to wane. With new direct services traveling to Betilung and Pontianak launching in May and June, there is growing evidence to suggest Australian tourists are ready to start exploring more of the Indonesian archipelago.
Here at The Bali Sun, we think something different will play out. Australian tourists will continue to be amongst the top arrivals to Bali, even if data shows small fluctuations in travel trends. We also think there will be a rise in the multi-stop vacation and the itinerary loop style trips that start and end in Bali, with tourists exploring more provinces as part of their trips, rather than staying in just one resort in Bali. It’s a win-win for everyone, really!
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