Bali Governor Warns of Infrastructure Strain Despite Record 16.3 Million Visitors
Bali Governor Wayan Koster announced that the island welcomed 16.3 million visitors in 2025, but warned that infrastructure has not kept pace, citing worsening traffic congestion, waste volumes, and threats to clean water supply. The provincial government plans to expand road networks, waste management, and water access to address these issues.
According to NusaBali, Bali Governor Wayan Koster announced at a Regional Development Coordination Meeting held at the Governor's Office in Denpasar on Monday, 20 July 2026, that the island recorded approximately 16.3 million visitors in 2025 — around 7.05 million foreign and 9.3 million domestic tourists. This figure is nearly four times Bali's total population of about 4.5 million, and Bali now accounts for 45.8 percent of all foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia.
The tourism boom has driven strong economic results: average foreign tourist spending is estimated at US$1,522 per visit, contributing roughly Rp176 trillion to the economy, while Bali's overall economic growth reached 5.82 percent. The province also boasts Indonesia's lowest poverty rate at 3.42 percent and an unemployment rate of just 1.45 percent.
However, Koster warned that the high mobility and evolving needs of modern tourists are creating serious challenges, including land conversion, rising waste volumes, ecosystem damage, threats to clean water supply, and traffic congestion. "Our infrastructure and public services are not yet fully able to keep pace with the increase in activity. Congestion is a major concern," he said.
To address these issues, the provincial government plans to strengthen household-level waste management, expand clean water access in vulnerable regencies such as Karangasem and Jembrana, develop gas-fired power plants for energy security, promote organic farming, and accelerate road infrastructure to improve connectivity between regions. A new sea logistics route between Ketapang, Gilimanuk, and Karangasem is also being developed to help ease congestion on main roads, particularly during holiday seasons and religious festivals.
Koster stressed that without urgent action on congestion, Bali risks losing its competitiveness as a top-tier tourism destination, calling for infrastructure development, environmental management, and public service improvements to move forward together.
Things to Consider
Tourists should plan travel with extra buffer time, especially around Denpasar and major arterial roads during holiday seasons and religious festivals, when congestion is most severe; consider traveling in early morning or late evening hours when possible. Residents, particularly in areas like Karangasem and Jembrana, should stay informed about local water supply announcements and take precautions regarding water availability. Both visitors and residents are encouraged to support local waste reduction and sorting efforts to help ease pressure on the island's infrastructure.
Source: Bali Discovery | News on Bali Tourism & Life Since 1998