Increased Tourist Traffic at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport in January 2025

Recent statistics released by Bali’s Ngurah Rai Immigration Office have highlighted a significant increase in travel activity at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. In January 2025, the island welcomed a total of 611,603 arrivals, which marks a 22% increase compared to the same month last year. Additionally, the total departures from Bali during the same period reached 632,833, reflecting the trend of travelers returning home after the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Dominance of Foreign Tourists

Alexander Maxwell, the Head of Immigration Information and Communication Technology at Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, provided insights into the composition of these arrivals. The data shows that foreign tourists accounted for the majority of incoming flights, totaling 540,122 visitors, which is a remarkable 27% increase from January 2024. Indonesian citizens also contributed to the rise in arrivals, up 30% year-on-year, with 53,490 people visiting. Meanwhile, flight crew members increased by 20% to reach 17,991. The trends in international arrivals largely mirrored historical patterns. Australia remained the leading source of tourists, with 139,577 arrivals, followed by China at 61,984, India at 36,514, South Korea at 35,172, and Russia at 26,794. Other notable countries contributing to visitor numbers include Malaysia (21,771), the United Kingdom (20,569), the United States (18,627), Singapore (15,942), and Japan, which accounted for 12,112 visitors.

Economic Impact and Domestic Tourism Challenges

The growing influx of tourists is having a notable effect on the broader Indonesian economy, particularly evident during the off-peak travel season. Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, disclosed that the province contributed IDR 107 trillion (approximately $7.2 billion), representing 44% of the foreign exchange earnings from the national tourism sector in 2024. During his latest address, Governor Koster emphasized the necessity for structural changes in the Balinese economy. “Bali’s economy is highly dependent on the tourism sector. Therefore, in the future, a transformation must be carried out to organize the structure and fundamentals of the Balinese economy to be more balanced between the tourism sector and the non-tourism sector,” he stated.

Tourism currently accounts for 66% of Bali’s provincial income, leading Governor Koster to express enthusiasm regarding the upward trend in international visitors over the past year. However, he raised concerns about the stagnation in the domestic travel market, which has not fully bounced back from the pandemic’s effects. In 2024, Bali saw 9.4 million domestic tourists, significantly lower than the pre-pandemic figures, which often exceeded 10.5 million.

Domestic Travel Barriers

Governor Koster attributed the sluggish recovery of domestic tourism to economic factors, pointing out that high airfare prices are a significant barrier for Indonesian residents looking to travel to Bali. "After further investigation, the national economy has not fully recovered and also national flight tickets are quite high. So, it is not possible for Indonesian people to fly to Bali for tourism,” he explained.

The issue of expensive domestic flights not only affects local travelers but also has repercussions on international tourism. As Indonesia aims to promote its diverse archipelago to global tourists, high airfares could deter potential visitors looking to extend their holiday beyond Bali.

Governor Koster’s remarks underline the urgent need for solutions that could alleviate flight costs and secure the future of both domestic and international tourism in Bali and beyond.

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