Bali struggling with overtourism, to ban new hotels, villas

Indonesia will suspend the construction of new hotels, villas and nightclubs in some areas of Bali, amid fears about the overdevelopment of one of its most famous tourist destinations, as per reports.

The moratorium is part of the government’s bid to reform tourism on Bali, one of Indonesia’s main attractions, to try to boost quality and jobs while preserving the island’s indigenous culture.

Hermin Esti, a senior official at the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investment Affairs, told Reuters the government had agreed to set the moratorium, although the exact timeline was still being discussed.


On Saturday, Bali’s interim governor Sang Made Mahendra Jaya said he suggested the moratorium in four of Bali’s busy areas to the central government, taking aim at over-development for commercial purposes, such as hotels, villas and beach clubs, as per reports.

Senior Minister Luhut Pandjaitan mentioned on September 8 that the moratorium could last up to 10 years, according to CNN reports that quoted news website Detik.

Luhut has previously noted that approximately 200,000 foreigners currently reside in Bali, leading to issues such as increased crime, overdevelopment, and job competition.

Since Bali reopened to tourists after the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in foreign arrivals, says CNN. Misconduct by tourists has frequently gone viral, provoking frustration among locals and strong reactions from social media users in Indonesia.

Government data indicates that 2.9 million international visitors arrived at Bali airport in the first half of the year, accounting for 65% of all foreign arrivals by air into Indonesia.