The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economies stated they hope to welcome 14 million foreign visitors this year.
The provincial government sets annual goals for the number of visitors it hopes to receive.
According to reports, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, the Provincial Tourism Service of Bali, expressed confidence that the island will be able to draw 7 million tourists by 2024.
This would represent a 40% rise in visitors to Bali between 2023 and 2024.
Australia continues to be the country with the highest percentage of foreign arrivals to Bali—up to 25%—followed by visitors from India, mainland China, the United Kingdom, the United States, South Korea, France, Singapore, Germany, and Malaysia.
Startling scenes of traffic congestion, even on toll roads and highways, have been witnessed throughout Bali over the past week.
Thousands of tourists were forced to leave their taxis halfway and walk or run the remaining distance with their bags in tow on the Mandara Toll Road that leads to the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
Pemayun clarified to reporters that “Yesterday’s experience with traffic jams is certainly a lesson for us so that this year, hopefully, it won’t happen again. Because yesterday, if we looked at the number of vehicles at the end of the year compared to Christmas, the number was still high at Christmas.
In an effort to reduce traffic on the roads and ensure that visitors arrived at the airport on time as possible, an emergency shuttle bus service was implemented from January 2–4.
The Bali Province Government will have more money at its disposal in 2024 to assist in making visitors’ stays on the island easier and more enjoyable.
On the other hand, the new Bali tourism tax will go into effect on February 14.
Upon arrival, all foreign visitors must pay a fee of IDR 150,00 (roughly USD 10).
With more than 7 million travelers expected to arrive on the island this year and only eleven months of the year without a profit after introduction, the government of Bali will have access to more than USD 65 million to invest in upgrading the island’s tourism infrastructure.