Bali may be flooded with tourists, but an Indonesian official has urged locals not to take out their frustrations on the visitors.

After Barcelona residents sprayed tourists with water amid protests against overtourism, Indonesia’s Minister for Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno said similar actions “should not happen in Bali”.

“Because if people feel uncomfortable with the presence of tourists, bad excesses emerge,” he said.

“In fact, tourism is one of the economic drivers in Bali.”

But just because a politician has discouraged protests, doesn’t mean locals will obey.

From BBC, Barcelona locals protest against tourists and harass them.

How much tourism is too much? pic.twitter.com/TTm08rmHt9

— GBR, LLC (@GayBearRes) July 7, 2024

Like many travel hotspots around the world, Indonesia has experienced floods of tourists pouring in since pandemic restrictions lifted.

Bali has taken the brunt of the impact, with more than 503,000 international visitors arriving in April alone – a 7 per cent increase compared to the month prior.

Australians contribute to the highest number of tourists in Bali.

Increased tourist numbers have been accompanied with reports of misbehaviour, from physical fights to vehicle hijacking.

Between January 1 and July 6, a total of 247 foreigners were deported from Bali, with the most common violation being overstaying of visas.

In the same period, 38 foreigners were prosecuted for criminal activity, such as theft and violent assault.

Indonesia has taken steps to reduce public disturbances by releasing a ‘dos and don’ts’ behaviour guide, launching a hotline for locals to report poorly-behaved tourists, and emphasising a ‘zero tolerance’ policy for tourists who break the law.

This year, Bali also began charging tourists a fee of 150,000 Indonesian rupiah (about $13) upon landing on the island; officials are now pushing to have the fee raised in order to attract ‘higher-quality’ visitors.

But these changes may not be enough to lessen the burden on locals.

Aside from occasionally being public nuisances, tourists can clog streets and public transport, be noisy, drive up the local cost of living, put pressure on limited resources such as water, and produce significant amounts of litter.

Although economies for regions like Bali largely rely on tourist dollars, Western Sydney University professor of sustainable tourism and heritage Joseph Cheer previously told The New Daily overtourism can diminish locals’ quality of life.

When locals are pushed to breaking point, some might protest even if it means risking their livelihood.

Balancing act

Experts agree authorities in tourist hotspots such as Bali must get better at balancing the economy and locals’ wellbeing.

Indonesia may be taking a step in the right direction, as Uno said he wants to see tourism spread more evenly throughout the Bali province.

He has advocated for infrastructure upgrades so “tourists are not only concentrated in South Bali but also in West Bali”.

Uno also wants badly-behaved tourists held to account.

“Tourists who come must adjust their goals in coming to Indonesia,” he said.

“If you deviate from your goals [of tourism activities], for example working here, action must be taken.”