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THE OPENING of direct TransNusa airline flights on the Melbourne–Bali route further expands access for Australian tourists to various destinations in Indonesia while increasing national tourism connectivity.
According to the Deputy for Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism, Ni Made Ayu Marthini, said the presence of the new TransNusa route reflects the joint commitment of the government and the aviation industry in expanding Indonesia’s accessibility for foreign tourists, especially from Australia, which is one of the main national tourism markets.
“The presence of the first TransNusa flight on the Melbourne–Bali route is a proactive step that is highly anticipated in expanding connectivity and increasing the competitiveness of Indonesia’s leading destinations in the eyes of the world,” said Made in his statement, Thursday (22/10), 2026.
Made explained that Australia consistently makes a significant contribution to the number of foreign tourist visits to Indonesia. Geographical proximity, ease of access and a variety of tourist attractions make Indonesia one of the destination choices for Australian tourists.
Until August 2026, the number of foreign tourists visiting from Australia was recorded at 1,224,941 visits, an increase of 7.21 percent compared to the same period the previous year. This positive trend is one of the bases for the Ministry of Tourism’s optimism in achieving the target of 2.23 million foreign tourist visits from Australia throughout 2026.
“Australia is one of Indonesia’s main tourism markets, and the availability of reliable and quality direct flights is an important key to increasing tourist visits in a sustainable manner,” said Made.
TransNusa’s first flight on the Melbourne–Bali route took place on Tuesday (20/10/2026). Airplane flight number 8B19 departed from Melbourne Airport (MEL) at 06.25 local time (AEST) and arrived at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali (DPS), at 09.40 WITA.
In the initial stage, this direct flight service is scheduled to operate four times a week, namely every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The next flight frequency will be increased to daily starting November 15, 2026.
The morning arrival schedule provides wider opportunities for Australian tourists to enjoy Bali while continuing their journey to various other top destinations in Indonesia.
Through the Beyond Bali connectivity network, tourists can reach 11 main destinations, including Wakatobi, Manado, Bima, Surabaya and Lombok. It is hoped that this connectivity will expand the distribution of tourist visits as well as open up economic opportunities for the community and tourism businesses in various regions.
“We hope that the opening of this route will not only facilitate access for Australian tourists to Bali, but also invite foreign tourists to explore other destinations outside Bali,” said Made.
Meanwhile, TransNusa Group Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Bernard Francis, said the opening of the Melbourne–Bali route was part of the company’s international expansion strategy as well as further emphasizing Bali’s role as an international aviation connectivity center connecting Australia with various destinations in the Asian region.
“The launch of the Melbourne–Bali route is an important step in TransNusa’s international expansion strategy. This route provides a new choice for Australian tourists who prioritize connectivity, value and premium travel experiences with competitive offers,” Bernard affirmed.
He explained that this expansion was also the company’s response to the growth in travel demand from the Australian market which showed positive developments. Previously, TransNusa succeeded in achieving a market share of 20 percent in Perth and increased its service frequency to 21 flights per week in July 2026.
According to Bernard, this achievement reflects the high trust of Australian tourists in flight services connecting the two countries.
“This reflects the high level of trust and loyalty of the Australian market towards flight connectivity to Indonesia,” concluded Datuk Bernard. [traveltext.id]
