Bali's tough plan against cheap tourism

After years of mass tourism and growing problems caused by unsuitable visitor behaviour, the Balinese government is taking drastic measures. Under the title «Regional Ordinance for the Implementation of Quality Tourism,» the provincial administration is currently working on a set of regulations that could significantly raise entry requirements. The core of the ordinance: a review of travelers' personal finances.

Bali's Governor Wayan Koster made it clear that the economic potential of visitors will be a crucial entry criterion in the future. Specifically, the «amount of savings in the last three months» will be checked. The government aims to ensure that international tourists have sufficient financial resources not only to support the local economy but also to prevent phenomena such as «begpacking» (begging for onward travel).

However, money alone is not enough. To receive the «quality tourist» designation, travelers will in future also have to provide detailed information about their planned itineraries and the exact length of their stay.

Infrastructure at its limit

This initiative is well justified. In 2025, Bali recorded a record 7.05 million international air passengers. The consequences are impossible to ignore for the locals. These include hours spent stuck in traffic, growing mountains of garbage, overloaded electricity and water networks, and unruly behavior

In addition to the ecological and logistical problems, Bali is also struggling with a loss of image due to disrespectful visitors. In the past, there have been increasing reports of tourists desecrating sacred temples, exposing themselves in public, or violating local laws.

Australian travelers, who make up the largest group of visitors, have already been warned by their government: The portal «Smartraveller» explicitly points out that cultural disrespect can lead to immediate deportation. The new regulation supplements existing rules, such as the tourism tax introduced last year and stricter dress codes for cultural sites.

Although the regulation is officially still in the draft stage, Governor Koster is pushing for its implementation. He says the proposal is «almost finished» and could come into effect as early as 2026.