Antara, Jakarta – The Bali Provincial Tourism Office announced that the current condition of Bali's tourism remains conducive despite demonstrations that turned chaotic at the Regional Police Headquarters and the Regional House of Representatives Office of Bali on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Head of Bali's Tourism Office, I Wayan Sumarajaya, said Bali's security is evident from the atmosphere at tourist destinations, where activities continue as usual.
"Bali remains safe and conducive for all tourists. Although there were demonstrations at the Bali Regional Police headquarters and in downtown Denpasar, activities at tourist sites are still running normally, as usual," he said.
He said the situation reflects strong collaboration among tourism stakeholders –from hotels and transport providers to attractions and local communities– who recognize the importance of keeping Bali safe and comfortable for visitors.
"Everyone understands very well that the comfort and safety of Bali are essential, so public demonstrations and expressions of aspirations to the government do not disrupt tourism security and convenience," he added.
Previously, several countries, including Australia, had issued travel warnings for Indonesia, including Bali. According to the official Smart Traveller website on Sunday, Australia officially placed Indonesia at Level 2. This level urges citizens to exercise increased caution when traveling to a country or region due to potential risks such as rising crime, terrorism, or natural disasters.
"Large protests with potential to escalate into violence and property damage are occurring across major cities in #Indonesia, including Denpasar, Bali, causing disruption and impacting local traffic movements. Avoid protests and demonstrations and monitor local media for the latest updates," the notice read.
Responding to this, the Bali Provincial Government respected the advisory. Sumarajaya considered it a reasonable measure amid the wave of demonstrations in several areas of Indonesia that prospective tourists should be aware of.
"We highly respect when a country advises its citizens about travel if there are security concerns in a certain country, but I hope this situation will not last long," he said.
According to data from the Bali Statistics Agency (BPS), as of July, a total of 3.98 million international tourists had visited Bali, with July marking the peak month, recording 697,110 visits in just one month.
Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/lifestyle/bali-assures-tourists-of-safety-after-police-hq-demonstration