Bali Receives Surge In Domestic Tourist Arrivals Through Gilimanuk Harbor

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In early December 2022, the General Manager of Bali Airport, Handy Heryudhitiawan, said that he and his teams were preparing to welcome over 1.4 million travelers to Bali during Christmas and New Year holidays. While Bali Airport is the main port of entry to Bali, Gilimanuk Harbour is the primary point of entry for many domestic tourists who make up the majority of Bali’s tourist arrivals. 

Officials have confirmed that from the 17-24th December, over 180,000 people entered Bali through Gilimanuk Harbor, with even more set to arrive between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. 

According to data shared by the port authorities, 184,298 people arrived at Gilimauk Harbour, including over 43,000 vehicles. For many families, traveling to Bali from Java by public transport or their own car is far more affordable and efficient than flying. Most travelers arrived between 17-24th December, with a slight dip in numbers coming on Christmas Day itself. One traveler told reporters at Gilimanuk Harbor, “If you use a car, it’s cheaper to travel. You don’t need to rent a vehicle if you want to go to tourist attractions”. 

Authorities in Bali have prepared for the surge in arrivals by road. On 19th December, the Denpasar City Transportation Agency announced that they would expand the traffic control posts to ensure that roads do not get too congested.

The Head of Denpasar Transportation Agency, I Ketut Sriawan, confirmed that additional officers will be posted at Umanyar Post, Ubung Post Terminal, Post in front of Jagatnata Temple, Sanur Seaport Post, and Serangan Seaport Post until the 3rd January 2023. The traffic posts will also help to direct the flow of traffic headed toward Denfest. The Denpasar-based festival, Denfest, will be held from the 21-25th December.

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Sirawan said, “This prediction is because many tourists come to Bali, so it is estimated to increase by 10 percent. Based on existing data, the peak of vehicle movement will occur between 29-31 December 2022…[we are on standby] so that city residents or residents who pass by Denpasar City and domestic tourists who enjoy holidays in Denpasar City can be served comfortably, safely, safely and disciplined”.

As New Year’s Eve approaches, the number of arrivals into Giliamnuk Harbour will increase once again. Officials on both sides of the Bali Strait are working to control the queues of vehicles. The General Manager of Ketapang Ferry Harbour, Muhammad Yasin, told reports “there are a lot of people’ but that the situation was under control. He explained that “We have prepared a plan if there is a buildup of vehicles, adding ships and reducing port time so that crossings run smoothly.

The domestic terminal at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport has been busy since Friday, 23rd December. This is proving to be good news for local hotel owners. Speaking to reporters over the weekend, the chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association in Badung district, IGN Rai Suryawijaya, said, “We admit that now many tourists have come to Bali. In fact, we hope it will continue to increase until the turn of the year”.

Tourism businesses in Bali are banking on a successful festive season. He continued to say From the data we got last Friday, the number of tourists coming to Bali reached 15,534 people for domestic and 14,591 people for foreign tourists,” and shared that his teams predict a further 20,000 people arrive per day, closer to the 31st December.

Suryawijay concluded, “Hopefully, in the future, it will continue to grow. Not only by air but also by land, many people will come. My prediction is that by the end of the year, the hotel occupancy rate will be 90 percent. [in Badung Regency]. Hopefully, this can be achieved because I myself did not expect the number of visits to increase. This is also due to the successful implementation of the G20. So tourists are starting to get excited again, and hopefully, this will continue“.