Bali Journalists Group Urges Action on Gilimanuk Traffic Ahead of 2027 Year-End Holidays

At a monthly discussion forum called #NgopiSantuy held by the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Online Journalists Association (IWO) in Denpasar, Nyoman Suyasa, Chairman of Commission III of the Bali Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD), discussed concerns over potential severe traffic congestion during the 2027 Christmas and New Year holiday season.

IWO Bali highlighted the Gilimanuk route—one of the main land links connecting Bali with Java via Gilimanuk Port—as requiring urgent attention to road conditions, traffic capacity, and vehicle flow to prevent lengthy queues that could disrupt tourism and daily community activities. The group urged Commission III to push the central government for stronger action.

Suyasa noted that international tourist arrivals reached approximately 7.05 million in 2025 and are projected to rise to between 7.1 and 7.2 million in 2026. Combined with domestic tourists, total annual visits to Bali are estimated at around 16 million. He stressed that addressing rising tourist mobility requires more than road widening—spatial planning, regional development management, and water resource protection must also be part of Bali's broader strategy.

Beyond the Gilimanuk route, traffic congestion in southern Bali was identified as another major concern, with growing tourist numbers and community activity outpacing existing road capacity.

Proposed solutions discussed included mass public transportation development, tram route proposals, road widening, and restructuring logistics vehicle routes. Stronger coordination among government agencies, including the Bali Transportation Agency, was deemed essential ahead of the 2027 holiday peak.