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The Indonesian Central Statistics Agency has just announced updated tourism figures for the end of 2024.
As predicted, Indonesia has seen its busiest year for tourism in over five years, and Bali remains the single most in-demand destination in the country, with both domestic and international tourists.
Speaking at a press conference held in Jakarta on Thursday, 2nd January, Deputy for Distribution and Services Statistics at the Central Statistics Agency Pudji Ismartini, explained: “Cumulatively from January to November 2024, the total number of foreign tourist visits reached 12.66 million.”
“[This] increased by 20.7 percent compared to the same period in 2023. This is the highest achievement in the last five years.”
In November 2024, the Central Statistics Agency (also known as BPS) recorded 1.09 million foreign tourist visits. This was however a decrease of 8.58 percent compared to October 2024, this decrease corresponds with the low season for tourism.
Final data for 2024 won’t be available for another month since figures are always shared with a one-month delay. It is clear, though, that Indonesia will have surpassed the 13 million tourist visits mark when the final figures are published at the beginning of February.
The Head of the Bali Provincial Tourism Office, Tjokorda Bagus Pemayun, has confirmed tourism figures for all of 2024 in Bali. Between January 2024 and 29th December 2024, the province recorded 6.3 million international visits. He noted,” The 30-31 December has not been counted.”
This means that Bali, as a province, has also smashed its tourism targets for 2024. At the beginning of 2024, Bali announced it was hoping to welcome at least 5.5 million international arrivals to the province by the end of the year, with 6 million being the top target.
The figure of 6.3 million international arrivals puts 2024 ahead of 2019, where 6.2 million international visitors traveled through the province.
Pemayun confirmed that Australian, Indian and Chinese tourists were amongst the most frequent international arrivals in 2024. He revealed that in 2025 the target for Bali’s tourism sector is set at 6.5 million international arrivals.
Pemayun shared, “The most important thing is not only that, what we expect is foreign tourists with longer stays, more spending money, and respect for local culture and society.”
He reiterated the Bali Provincial Tourism Office’s commitment to creating high-quality tourism across the board and promoting more sustainable tourism.
When asked if the recent natural disasters, tourist deaths, and the impacts of monsoon season had influenced travel trends at the end of 2024, Pemayun explained, “Yes, of course, negative information from the incident certainly had an impact.”
He noted that despite the shadow these events had cast, that overall interest in travel to Bali continues to grow.
He shared, “From our discussions with our friends at Asita, Bali remains the preferred vacation destination. There is an additional 20 percent increase in visits during this [Christmas and New Year] holiday compared to before.” Asita is the Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies.
Bali Airport, as the gateway to the province, celebrated the successes of 2024 and welcomed passengers in 2025 by gifting flower garlands to passengers boarding the last flight out on the 31st December 2024 and the first arrival flights of 2025.
Passengers were also welcomed with traditional Balinese cultural dances and a live traditional orchestra known as a gamelan.
The General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, told reporters, “We want to make this airport more than just a transit point.”
“The airport must be a showcase for Indonesian culture, especially Bali, as well as a place where pleasant and memorable experiences are created.”
Bali Airport regularly hosts themed events that are designed to make passengers feel even more welcome as they arrive and depart from the island.
