Data Confirms 2024 Will Be Bali’s Busiest Year For International Tourism

Share The Article

New data confirms that Bali will see its busiest year on record in 2024.

With international tourism arrivals already surpassing that of all 2019 by mid-2024, the Island of the Gods is receiving a huge surge in the number of holidaymakers, digital nomads, ex-pats, and international investors arriving in the province. 

Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency has confirmed that the number of international arrivals in Bali reached 7.75 million people from January 2024 to the end of July 2024.

The Central Statistics Agency Deputy for Distribution and Services Statistics, Pudji Ismartini, said, “The number of foreign tourist visits until July 2024 is the highest since 2020.”

The island has seen a 20.75% increase in the number of arrivals versus the same period in 2023. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport (@baliairport)

In July 2024, Bali saw one of the biggest increases in tourist arrivals in recent years. In July 2024, 1.31 million international arrivals touched down in I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, which was an increase of 9.42% in from June 2024 and an increase of 16.91% compared to July 2023. 

While the huge surge in the number of arrivals is new, not much about the demographic of travelers has changed compared to last year.

It remained the case that Malaysian, Australian, Chinese, and Singaporean tourists are the most frequent international arrivals in the province.

In July 2024, 177,000 Malaysian tourists visited Bali, which was closed, followed by 166,000 Australian passport holders. In total, 126,000 Chinese tourists visited Bali in July 2024, and 102,000 Singaporean tourists too. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Directorate General of Immigration (@indonesiaimmigration)

Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency can also confirm that therefore I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport and Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta are the busiest airports in the country for international travelers, accounting for 90% of all international arrivals and departures in the year to date. 

Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency shared travel statistics with a 30-day delay, meaning we can expect to see the travel statuses from August 2024 in the first few days of October.

However, it is not only the simple in-doubt and outbound data that the Indonesian Central Statistics Agency shares, but more in-depth travel trends are also included. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport (@baliairport)

The new data shows that the average length of stay in Indonesia for leisure purposes is 8.1 nights.  Broken down by nationality, tourists from Southeast Asian nations have a short vacation period in Indonesia, with an average stay of 3.67 nights. Tourists visiting from countries in Africa have the highest average stay of 15.74 nights. 

As Bali Airport is working through its busiest year on record, officials have been checking in to ensure that the arrival and departure expenses can be as smooth as possible for travelers.

Minister for Law and Human Rights, Supratman Andi Agtas, visited Bali Airport ahead of the Indonesia Africa Forum 2024, held on the 1-3rd September. 

He confirmed that Indonesia Africa Forum 2024 delegates will have access to dedicated counters for immigration checks to help ensure conference attendees and tourists have a streamlined arrivals and departures process.

Minister Agtas said, “Immigration services here must always be excellent, professional, and in accordance with international standards.”

He called on Bali Airport teams to keep up the good work as the terminals become ever-busier.

Agtas said, “Stay enthusiastic and continue to provide the best service to the community and tourists.”

However, while many businesses and ministers feel that the unprecedented growth in Bali’s tourism sector has huge positive benefits, many in Bali are calling for the pace of progress to be reconsidered. 

In a press conference last week, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, issued policy updates at the Indonesia Quality Tourism Conference. 

Minister Pandjaitan confirmed that he is working on new legislation that will help better control rampant tourism development that risks the devastating impacts of overtourism.

He wants to see Balinese culture and the land better protected while ensuring sustainable tourism development for the benefit of tourists and the community. 

Minster Pandjaitan said, “There are more than two hundred thousand foreigners living in Bali right now. It causes some problems. We want to maintain Balinese culture because Bali, without their culture, is no longer Bali as a paradise island.”