To the untrained eye it may look like young Gen Z travel bloggers and millennial travel influencers are the biggest trend setters for Bali’s tourism industry.
In fact, domestic tourists are the real travel trailblazers in Bali. Where Indonesian domestic tourists go, the world surely follows.
Latest travel figures show that domestic tourism to Bali is on the rise. In fact, domestic travel in Indonesia overall is rising.
Data shared by the Indonesia Ministry of Tourism shows that Indonesian nationals made 282,410,000 trips in the year to date which is an increase of 12.71% compared to the same period in 2024.
According to the Central Statistics Agency, the number of Indonesian tourists taking trips abroad is also on the rise. With Indonesian nationals taking 2.33 million trips in the year to date, a 6.5% increase in the first quarter of 2024.
The Indonesian Clean Tourism Movement, which is being promoted to domestic tourists is also having an impact on Indonesian resident’s travel movements.
Launched on the 7th May 2025, the program is targeting eight tourist destinations in five provinces, including Bali, and has seen communities and tourists collect more than 18.1 tons of waste, and involved more than 5,600 participants.
The program was launched in Bali by Deputy Minister for Tourism, Ni Luh Puspa, who joined a beach clean up mission on Kedonganan Beach in Jimbaran. The eight destinations included in the Clean Tourism Movement are Bali, Mandalika, Borobudur, Labuan Bajo, Likupang, Lake Toba, Jakarta, and the Riau Islands; and each of these destinations is also receiving investment in promotion from the Ministry of Tourism.
It is not only the Clean Tourism Movement that is engaging domestic tourists with travel to Bali but also the promotion of the Red and White Cooperative as part of the Indonesian Village Tourism Programme. Tourism villages are one of the most important elements of the Indonesian tourism sector, especially in Bali.
Leaders nationwide, and especially in Bali, are committed to developing more tourism villages.
Famous tourist villages in Bali, that have really been put on the map thanks to demand from domestic tourists first and foremost are Penglipuran Village, Jatiluiwh Village, Taro Village, and Bakas Village.
Now each of these community tourism projects is well on the international tourist suggested itinerary, but for years, these emerging destinations were supported primarily by domestic tourists seeking to connect more deeply with their cultural heritage and the diversity of their archipelago nation.
Indonesian Minister of Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, shared the latest domestic tourism figures as part of a presentation of achievements of the tourism sector in the year so far.
Speaking to reporters she shared “Close collaboration, cross-sector synergy, and shared commitment are essential to make the tourism sector a sustainable, inclusive economic driver that has a positive impact on society.”
Tourists planning visits to Bali in the coming months and into early 2026 will be wise to add Bongkasa Village to their travel plans. Bongkasa Village, which sits just outside of central Ubud, has confirmed that it is developing a new Traditional Art Market.
The market will be open to the public in early 2026 and comes to add more diversity to the tourism offering already available in the village.
Bongkasa Village, if not known to international tourists by name, will be recognizable as the starting point for many of Bali’s most adventurous outdoor activities including jungle ATV riding and white water rafting on the Ayung River.
Other destinations popular with adventurous domestic tourists but currently less visited by international tourists is the North and West of Bali.
This region has recently been included in the new 3B Tour Package, created by the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism which joins together North Bali, West Bali and Banyuwangi in East Java for an itinerary jam-packed with hidden gems, untouched landscapes and rich cultural heritage.
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Exp
Sunday 1st of June 2025
Meanwhile the local gov. is after the foreigners: 1. Stating that many foreigners are suspected to stay at unlicensed villas "owned" by "fellow" foreigners. 2. Stating that foreigners are taking over the tourism business. As an example it was suggested that in Badung alone more than 400 vehicle rental and travel agencies owned by foreigners.
Bali gov. is putting the blame on the foreigners taking advantage of the single Submission (OSS) Online licensing system. Indonesia introduced OSS to cut the red tape for foreign investment bypassing all the do nothing local big wigs. Now they are fighting back.
Now a special team has been formed to go after "illegal" foreign businesses. So let's see how wide the dragnet will be as there are many rich auditors in Indonesia. Wonder why.
LINK
Viktor Z
Sunday 1st of June 2025
‘ Now each of these community tourism projects is well on the international tourist suggested itinerary, but for years, these emerging destinations were supported primarily by domestic tourists seeking to connect more deeply with their cultural heritage and the diversity of their archipelago nation. ‘
I wonder who’s responsible for the above text…..most probably a millennial or a representative of Gen Z, generations where too many have a historical awareness that doesn’t reach further than their last consumed veggie burger.
Most visitors, domestic and foreign, have not the slightest clue who ‘placed Bali on the map’ once.. Enlighten yourself with the work of an American anthropologist and European artists before WW2 and the stories and experiences by travellers since that war.
Firechef
Saturday 31st of May 2025
I guess that not All Indonesians are poor.