According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Australian visitors dominated the number of foreign tourists visiting Bali in March 2023, with a total of 89,783 tourists recorded.
This figure represents a 13.51% increase compared to the previous month, February 2023. India followed as the second-largest number of tourists to Bali, with 28,167 visitors. Singapore, the UK, and the US followed with 21,003, 20,775, and 20,360 visitors, respectively.
Overall, the number of foreign tourists visiting Bali in March 2023 was recorded at 370,832, an increase of 14.59% compared to the previous month.
BPS Bali’s head, Endang Retno Sri Subiyandani, expressed her hope that this growth would continue, stating, “I hope that this continues to recover, so that the number of foreign tourists continues to increase.”
The majority of these tourists entered Bali via I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, with 367,090 arrivals, a 15.76% increase from the previous month.
On the other hand, the number of tourist arrivals through sea ports, such as Benoa Harbor, Celukan Bawang, and Padangbai, decreased by 42.55% compared to the previous month, with only 3,742 arrivals.
While there has been a significant increase in the number of foreign visitors to Bali, the occupancy rate of hotel rooms in Bali during March 2023 actually decreased by 1.21 points to 40.01%. Meanwhile, the average length of stay at starred hotels was recorded at 2.417 days, and for non-starred hotels, it was 2.30 days.
Interestingly, the growth of tourists from Singapore increased by 69.41%, while tourists from the Middle East increased by 41.68%. Conversely, the number of Russian tourists visiting Bali did not make it into the top five list for March 2023, despite being included in previous months. This could be due to a number of factors, which would require further research to fully understand.
Overall, the continued growth of tourism in Bali is a positive development for the region’s economy and international reputation. However, it will be important for Bali’s tourism industry to continue to adapt and improve to ensure a sustainable future for both the industry and the island itself.