Bali launches fresh crackdown on unruly tourists
Authorities have launched a fresh crackdown aimed at Bali’s unruly visitors, as the holiday mecca experiences a wave of disrespectful behaviour.
Bali is sending a tough message to unruly tourists: behave or get out.
Indonesian authorities have launched a fresh crackdown aimed at poorly behaved visitors in Bali, as the holiday mecca experiences pre-pandemic visitor numbers.
In response to an ongoing wave of tourists disrespecting local protocols in recent months, the Bali Becik Task Force is the latest push to deter troublemakers, under which unruly foreigners will risk being reported to authorities via a new hotline.
If caught not following the local rules and customs, travellers can be fined anywhere from $500, or even result in deportation from Bali.
“This can vary from partaking in illegal behaviours, not having proper documentation, or defiling sacred sites,” Ravindra Singh Shekhawat, general manager of operations in Indonesia for travel company Intrepid Travel, said. “It’s important for travellers to be mindful of the local laws in Bali.”
At least five tourists have been deported from the holiday hotspot in July alone, for violations such as disregarding local regulations and abusing the terms of their visas and permits.
The new measure follows a slew of recent responses aiming to get travellers to respect Indonesia’s customs and laws, including the introduction of a tourist tax to be paid on arrival worth 150,000 Indonesian rupiah ($15AUD). An official outline of the “dos and don’ts” will also be presented to foreigners at the airport upon their arrival.
It comes as Bali Governor Wayan Koster banned tourists from renting scooters in March, following an incident where an Australian woman went viral for arguing with traffic police for not wearing a helmet. Marita Daniell was deported following the spat, despite living on the island for the past 23 years. A month later, a disturbing video captured a fight breakout between a Balinese priest and tourist in the town of Ubud, in the uplands of Bali.
Bali has climbed back to the top of Australians’ travel list after being displaced by London in 2022. In May 2023 one million tourists passed through Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport alone, 106, 641 of which were Australian passport holders, according to immigration office data. But with thousands of tourists returning to Bali daily, locals are becoming increasingly fed up with their antics.
“Since the pandemic, a range of issues such a public disturbance and the defiling of sacred sites have arisen, with a small number of travellers not respecting and abiding by local laws and customs,” Mr Singh Shekhawat said.
He added: “The role of the task force is to ensure that those small numbers don’t impact those who are doing the right thing. If you’re being a respectful and responsible traveller, you have nothing to worry about.”
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