Bali Edges Closer To Hitting Tourism Targets Before End Of 2022

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Bali’s Governor, Wayan Koster, has announced updated figures for the island’s recovery from the pandemic. In a written statement published on Monday 5th September, Koster shared updates about tourism figures, vaccine rollout, and projections for the last quarter of 2022. 

Starting with an update about Covid-19, Koster shared that the number of new cases continues to decline. He confirmed that hospitalizations due to Covid are decreasing, the number of recoveries is increasing, and the number of reported deaths is at an all-time low. All of which is a hugely positive sign for local people and the recovery of the tourism sector.

He attributed this success to the rollout of the vaccine program. Bali set ambitious targets to get the majority of the island’s population vaccinated. The figures suggest that the target for the number of people having their first vaccination has not only been met but surpassed.

97% of those who took the first vaccine have received their second, and over 80% of the booster vaccine target has been met. Governor Koster confirmed that Bali achieved the fasted and highest vaccination rate in all of Indonesia. He wrote ‘The better condition of the Covid-19 pandemic and high vaccination rates in Bali have made Bali a comfortable, safe and conducive tourist destination for domestic and foreign tourists’.

Koster wrote that from the 1st of January 2022 to the 2nd of September 2022, the number of domestic tourists arriving in Bali through I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport reached 5,123,974 people. While the number of foreign tourists visiting Bali has reached 945,006 people. Earlier in the year, Indonesia’s Minister for Tourism and Creative Economies, Sandiaga Uno, announced his target of one million international visitors to Bali in 2022. These latest figures suggest that Bali is right on track.

In the statement, Governor Koster confirmed that domestic arrivals through Bali Airport currently average 12,000 people per day. For International arrivals, the average sits at 10,000 per day. The number of daily arrivals has now surpassed 50% of the norm before lockdown, which authorities are taking as a landmark moment. This sits above what the local government was targeting at the beginning of the year. Koster wrote, ‘This achievement is much faster and higher than the planned target of 40% by December 2022’. 

Later in the statement, Koster wrote, ‘The increase in domestic and foreign tourist arrivals to Bali has directly impacted the recovery of tourism and the recovery of the Balinese economy. Bali is starting to rise again’. He noted how the international perception of Bali as a tourism destination has played an essential role in the island’s recovery.

In recent weeks Ubud has been named the Best City in Asia and the best destination for solo travelers by two notable travel publications. Bali was also announced as the happiest holiday destination in the world in a recent survey by ClubMed.

Governor Koster ended his statements by sharing his enthusiasm for the upcoming G20 Summit in Bali on 15-16th November. While the main event is being held in mid-November, there are dozens of preliminary conferences and workshops happening in Nusa Dua before world leaders arrive.

Bali is preparing to welcome heads of state from the world’s 20 largest economies, their families, delegations, and the world’s media. This is a huge opportunity for Bali; Governor Koster and the Indonesian government are working around the clock to ensure the event is world-class.  

In his closing remarks, Governor Koster thanked the people of Bali for their collective awareness. He encouraged everyone to continue to work together and support each other for the good of the island. He shared his prayers and blessings for nature, the ancestors, and spirits to ensure that ‘Bali Will Rise Again’.