Leaders Question Why Bali Is Busy This Christmas But Hotels Are Emptier

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Has anyone else heard the speculation that Bali is quieter than usual at this time of year?

Here at The Bali Sun, we’ve been picking up on these rumours and can confirm this rumour could not be further from the truth; in fact, even the Governor of Bali has weighed in on the situation. 

This is low-key the situation that happens every year. Since the Christmas and New Year holidays are preceded by Bali’s low season for tourism, there are always concerns and rumours that the festive season is going to be a flop.

But, with flight ticket sales and transportation operations forecasting 1.5 million tourists expected to arrive in Bali over the next two weeks, it’s safe to say that this festive season will be as busy as ever in Bali. 

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Perhaps this year, speculation over whether Christmas will be a success for tourism in Bali is rife as usual due to the extreme weather conditions that have hit international headlines in the last month.

Tourism commentators have expressed concern that the extreme weather conditions and natural disasters observed so far this rainy season could have prompted tourists to choose alternative destinations for their year-end vacations. 

There have also been concerns that hotel occupancy rates are lower than usual in Bali’s top tourism resort areas. But this could just be due to changing travel trends.

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Tourists and holidaymakers are changing how they travel, both in terms of destinations and accommodation styles. More and more tourists are opting to book independent accommodation like villas and rental homes over hotels, which is bringing the hotel occupancy rates down.

Hotel occupancy rates are among the most relied-on metrics for tourism leaders in Bali to assess trends on the island. Tourists and holidaymakers are also looking to alternative areas of the island as their destinations of choice.

For example, top hotels in Buleleng Regency in North Bali have been recording 90% occupancy rates for the festive holidays. This would have been unheard of a few years ago, but as tourism is increasingly promoted in Bali’s lesser-visited regions, tourists are starting to get out of their comfort zones more and more. 

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The rumours that Bali is quieter than usual have even caught the attention of Bali Governor Wayan Koster, who on Monday, 22nd December issued statements to the media rebutting the speculation. When asked if tourism in the province was down, Governor Koster replied, “That’s a lie. I have the data. The total increases every day.”

He added, “I check the lowest [average] hotel occupancy rate is at 60%. The Meru is at 80% and the star-rated hotels in Nusa Dua are at 80% and it could actually be higher than that.”

He noted that attractions may have seen fewer visitors in the last few days due to the weather.

Governor Koster shared, “It’s the rainy season now, with flooding. Maybe people aren’t coming to Bali for sightseeing. Many are resting [in their accommodation], so the data is real. Both from Angkasa Pura and the Tourism Office.”

Angkasa Pura is the state-owned company in charge of Indonesia’s airports and tracks the country’s most important travel data.

While Governor Koster confirmed that demand for travel to Bali remains high, and the queues at the immigration desks at Ngurah Rai Airport reflect the same, the Chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Bali, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati, has shared his insights on the situation.

He told reporters, “There’s a paradox currently occurring in Balinese tourism. I read the data, there’s been an increase of around 10 percent, but it’s not matched by the same increase in hotel occupancy.”

The Head of the Bali Tourism Office, Wayan Sumarajaya, told reporters that, irrespective of the data, the most important thing is that tourists have a positive travel experience in Bali.

He shared, “We continue to strive to create quality and dignified tourism. We are coordinating with various parties, including government agencies, regional and district officials, and business owners, to ensure our services for Christmas and New Year’s tourism are even better.”