BNEWS.ID  –  Bali Governor Wayan Koster conducted an on-site inspection of international tourist arrivals at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on Sunday (December 28, 2025), aiming to counter widespread claims that Bali is experiencing a downturn in visitor numbers ahead of the year-end holiday season.

During a coordination meeting and service readiness check with Angkasa Pura, Immigration officials, and other stakeholders, Koster presented the latest data on tourist arrivals to Bali throughout 2025.

“In 2024, the number of foreign tourist arrivals to Bali reached 6.3 million. In 2025, as of December 26, arrivals have reached 6.9 million—an increase of 600,000 visitors as of December 26, 2025,” Koster said.

He projected that arrivals would continue to rise through the end of December, driven by strong daily arrival figures.

“Daily arrivals average between 23,000 and 24,000 people. If we calculate through December 31—five days from the 27th to the 31st—using an average of 24,000 per day, that means an additional 120,000 foreign tourists,” Koster added.

With this projection, total foreign tourist arrivals in 2025 are expected to reach approximately 7.05 million, marking a year-on-year increase of more than 600,000 visitors.

Meanwhile, Koster acknowledged a decline in domestic tourist numbers compared to the previous year. As of December 26, 2025, domestic arrivals stood at 9.2 million.

“There has been a decline. By December 31, 2024, the figure was around 9.4 million, meaning a decrease of approximately 600,000 to 700,000 domestic tourists,” he explained.

Combined, total foreign and domestic tourist arrivals in 2025 are projected to be slightly lower than last year.

“In 2024, total foreign and domestic arrivals reached 16.4 million. As of December 26, 2025, the figure is 16.1 million, a decrease of around 300,000. By December 31, the total decline is estimated to be about 200,000,” Koster said.

According to Koster, the drop in domestic tourists is largely due to reduced domestic flight capacity to Bali.

“One of the main factors is that several Garuda Indonesia and Citilink aircraft are undergoing mandatory maintenance. As a result, fewer flights are operating to Bali, causing reduced capacity and consistently full flights,” emphasized the two-term Bali Governor.

In contrast, international flights have seen an increase. The number of international airlines and routes serving Ngurah Rai Airport continued to grow throughout 2025.

Hotel occupancy rates ahead of Christmas 2025 and New Year 2026 ranged between 75 and 85 percent, although this represents a year-on-year contraction of about 4 percent.

“Many tourists are now staying in accommodations that are not registered hotels and do not pay tourism taxes, such as private villas or privately owned homes. This is one of the factors behind the decline in hotel occupancy rates, even as foreign tourist arrivals increase,” Koster explained.

Weather conditions have also affected tourist activities outside hotels.

“From December through January 1, rainfall has ranged from moderate to heavy, causing flooding in several areas. This likely made conditions less comfortable, which may explain why, despite high occupancy rates, tourist activities outside hotels have been less lively compared to last year,” he added.

During the visit, Koster also highlighted improvements in service quality at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, particularly in reducing waiting times for international passengers.

“In the past, waiting times could reach up to 1.5 hours. Now, the entire process, from immigration and visa on arrival to baggage claim—takes no more than 57 minutes,” he concluded. (*)