Bali Confirms Plans To Eliminate Immigration Queues During World Water Conference 

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With the World Water Forum just around the corner, preparations are underway to ensure that the big event will run smoothly for delegates and will not interfere with tourists on vacation.

With 44 heads of state invited to attend and representatives from more than 160 countries, the World Water Forum is the biggest international conference to be hosted in Bali since the G20 in November 2022. 

To help ensure that all arrivals to Bali Airport will be able to pass through security, immigration and customs efficiently more officers will be on duty for the duration of the conference.

The event is set to start on the 18th May and will run until the 25th May.

Ngurah Rai Immigration has confirmed that three specialist counters will be available for delegates to use upon arrival at Bali Airport.

This will ensure that event arrivals do not add to queues in the tourist arrivals line. 

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The Head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, Suhendra, told reporters “We have prepared special counters for delegations both at the international arrivals and the VIP building at Ngurah Rai Airport.” He also confirmed that more immigration officers will be on standby to help speed up proceedings. 

Both delegates and tourists now have access to the newly installed autogates at Bali Airport. Those who have an electronic passport and have arranged the eVisa-on-Arrival can use one of the 30 autogates upon entry.

This reduced the immigration check process to just 15-25 seconds per traveler. The autogates use a combination of facial recognition technology and border control management software to automate the full set of checks. 

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Speaking to reporters on Saturday, 20th April, Indonesia’s Minister for Tourism and Creative Economies, Sandiaga Uno, confirmed that the event, which is set to take place in Nusa Dua, will be attended by 35,000 delegates from over 160 countries.

Although the event doesn’t start until the 18th of April, tourists in Bali right now will start to see preparations underway, especially in Nusa Dua, Denpasar, and around the airport.

While much of the event will take place in the coastal resort of Nusa Dua, several venues in Denpasar City will also be used for seminars and workshops, including The Meru in Sanur and the Kura-Kura Special Economic Zone. 

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To celebrate the occasion, traditional Balinese decorations will be put up throughout the area for both delegates and tourists to enjoy.

Speaking to reporters, the Head of the Denpasar City Tourism Department (Dispar), Ni Putu Riyastiti, said, “The Denpasar City Government installed around 310 penjors from the Bali Mandara Toll Gate to The Meru Sanur. Meanwhile, those in the Serangan SEZ were installed by Turtle Bali,”

Penjor are the tall bamboo decorations that curve over at the end. Penjors are typically on display during Galungan and Kuningan festivals in Bali, as well as on big occasions such as state visits.

With the World Water Forum’s theme for 2024 being Water for Shared Prosperity, delegates will all be invited to attend water blessings, or melukat ceremonies, during their visits to the island.

Minister Uno and the Acting Governor of Bali, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, have both confirmed that arrangements will be made to ensure that all those who wish to participate can do so.

This will likely mean that for the duration of the conference, the days before and immediately after, Tirta Empul Temple outside of Ubud will be considerably busier than usual.

The Acting Governor told reporters “There are several places, let them (choose), we will offer them…A number of melukat places are also spread across several districts, including Badung and Bangli. The aim of this is local wisdom, so that there will be memories like this (how to) purify the body periodically and niskala (belief in things seen and unseen).”

He added, “Where there is a water source, there is a place of worship such as melukat and the people guard that place. They see that Bali has a noble cultural heritage, including melukat.”