ER
BALI remains Indonesia’s main gateway for the tourism sector, recording 6.3 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2024. This figure accounts for nearly half of the total 13.9 million foreign tourists who visited the country that year.
The number of foreign tourist arrivals in Bali, known as the “Island of the Gods”, has even surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2019, which reached in 6.2 million. The rebound in the tourism sector has also significantly boosted the country’s revenue.
According to Bali Governor Wayan Koster, the island contributed 44 percent of the country’s tourism foreign exchange earnings, which reached IDR107 trillion or around US$6.69 billion in 2024.
As per the Balance of Payments report by Bank Indonesia (BI), Indonesia’s total tourism foreign exchange revenue in 2024 amounted to US$16.71 billion, equivalent to IDR280 trillion.
With these foreign tourists’ arrivals and revenue, Bali continues to position itself as a barometer of Indonesia’s tourism destinations.
Tourist quality
Despite these achievements, not all foreign visitors have upheld proper conduct during their stay in Bali. Some foreign nationals have caused disturbances, even clashing with local residents.
The Directorate General of Immigration recorded 378 foreign nationals deported from Bali between January and September 2024.
This was an increase from 335 deportations in 2023, handled by Bali’s three immigration offices and the Denpasar Immigration Detention Center. Deportation is the most common immigration law enforcement action against problematic foreign nationals.
Nationally, between January and July 2025, the Directorate General of Immigration recorded 2,669 deportations and 2,009 detentions of foreign nationals. Additionally, 62 foreigners faced legal proceedings between November 2024 and July 2025.
Reasons for deportation included overstaying visas, abusing tourist visas to work, misusing investor visas without making actual investments, and engaging in transnational crimes. Others violated local regulations, resisted law enforcement, or disrespected Balinese traditions.
Although the number of problematic foreigners remains small compared to the 6.3 million who visited in 2024, the rising trend has raised concerns.
Monitoring
Authorities carry out their monitoring discreetly to prevent information from spreading beforehand, so that foreigners who are suspected of breaking laws do not get tipped off and try to hide, flee, or cover their tracks before they can be arrested or investigated.
Public involvement and cross-agency coordination are also supported through the Foreigners Supervision Team (Tim Pora) at both national and regional levels. The Tim Pora coordinates across agencies and monitors social media, where violations often go viral.
Immigration also conducts periodic nationwide and local inspections. Operations include “Jagratara,” which apprehended 914 foreigners in May 2024 and 1,293 in July 2024, and “Bali Becik,” which caught 103 alleged members of international cybercrime syndicates in June 2024. Other initiatives include Operation Wira Waspada and the formation of special task forces.
Most recently, Minister of Immigration and Corrections Agus Andrianto launched the Immigration Patrol Task Force in Bali, operating from August 1–31, 2025.
The task force involves 100 immigration officers supported by joint personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI), National Police (Polri), Public Order and Security Agency (Satpol PP), and pecalang, or traditional Balinese security guards.
Equipped with protective vests, body cameras, and vehicles, the officers patrol tourist hotspots and monitor foreigners’ activities.
The task force can also temporarily seize the immigration documents of suspected violators and take them for further examination.
Challenges
Foreigners’ supervision efforts face both internal and external challenges. One major issue is the rise of unlicensed accommodations.
Unlike licensed hotels that must report foreign guests through the APOA (Foreigner Reporting Application), unlicensed lodgings often fail to do so, complicating monitoring and causing tax losses.
PHRI Bali Secretary-General Perry Markus has urged stronger government oversight and stricter enforcement against illegal accommodations. Another challenge is the misconduct of officers, which damages institutional credibility.
Recently, Bali police arrested two immigration officers—identified as EE from Jakarta and YB from Magelang, Central Java—who allegedly colluded with two Russian nationals to extort and assault a Lithuanian citizen.
Bali Police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya said the suspects used kidnapping and threats of deportation to extort the victim.
Meanwhile, Minister Andrianto has prepared dismissal sanctions for the two officers, after a court ruling, and he also stressed the importance of integrity and ethical conduct among officers in carrying out their duties. Besides foreigner supervision, capacity training is necessary for immigration personnel, and that must include appreciation for high-performing staff.
In other words, beyond supervision, training and capacity-building for officers are essential, along with appreciation for high-performing staff.
While easing foreign entry supports tourism growth, it must be balanced by stricter permit issuance, stronger cross-sectoral cooperation, and better use of technology to monitor foreigners across Indonesia. [antaranews/photo special]
