The Bali Provincial Government is preparing a new policy to better screen foreign tourists starting in 2026.
One of the measures being considered is checking tourists’ savings, similar to rules already applied in several other countries.
Bali Governor Wayan Koster said that the amount of money a visitor has saved over the past three months could be one of the indicators of quality tourism. Besides checking savings, the provincial government also plans to review how long foreign tourists plan to stay in Bali and what activities they intend to do while on the island. According to Koster, this step is meant to ensure that everything remains well-managed.
“This is to make sure things stay under control. When we travel to other countries, they apply strict rules to us, so we will do the same here,” Koster told the press on Thursday, 1st of January 2026.
Before outlining the new policy, Koster presented data on foreign tourist arrivals throughout 2025. Bali welcomed around 7.05 million visitors by air and more than 71,000 by sea. This was the highest number of foreign arrivals in the island’s tourism history and showed a strong recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Koster admitted that in 2022, many parties pushed for a rapid increase in foreign tourist numbers by offering various facilities and incentives. While this helped bring visitors back, it also made the flow of tourists difficult to control.
“Everything was done to attract people to Bali. That is what led to the current situation, where tourists are enjoying themselves freely. We must respond to this, but it cannot be solved overnight. It takes time and patience,” he said.
The Bali Provincial Government is aware of ongoing issues such as waste management, traffic congestion, and flooding. However, instead of placing blame, Koster stressed that stricter rules and better governance are needed to deal with these problems.
Although the central government has not yet set a target for foreign tourist arrivals in 2026, the Bali government has made its position clear. Rather than focusing on large numbers, it wants to prioritise quality tourism. This means attracting visitors who respect local rules, contribute positively to the economy, and do not create new problems.
“In the future, we will focus on quality tourism, not just the number of visitors, but the quality of those who come. This will be managed through regional rules and better tourism governance,” Koster concluded.