Bali’s tourism leaders are taking a firm stance against the disrespectful and criminal behavior of a small but significant minority of tourists on the island.
The Head of the Bali Tourism Office, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, has spoken to reporters to share his plans to install new billboards announcing to tourists the rules they must follow while they visit the province.
The actions have been long coming and are, in fact, very similar to steps taken in 2023, when a similar rise in criminal behavior and disrespectful actions was recorded among a minority of Bali’s international visitors.
In 2023, following a rise in the number of reports of culturally disrespectful behavior, drunk and disorderly action, and criminal activity, Bali introduced a list of Do’s and Don’ts for tourists to abide by.
The rules were listed on a small number of billboards in top tourist attractions, and for a short time were placed in passports by immigration officials while stamping tourists into the country.
With another seeming rise in the number of reports of criminal behavior by tourists in the province, leaders are circling back to the basics and are committing to educating tourists about what is expected of them during their time on the island.
The comments come specifically after footage of a brawl between tourists and security guards went viral on social media last week.
The footage shows tourists, now believed to be Australian, attacking security guards at Finns Beach Club in Canggu in an altercation that is reported to have started inside the venue and escalated into violence.
Bali Police have now confirmed the arrest of a 28-year-old Australian tourist in connection with the brawl.
The man, known by his initials MR, remains in police custody, four other witnesses have been called in for interview and police will process further eleven accounts of the events of Tuesday 11th February in the coming days.
Speaking to reporters Head of Public Relations of the Bali Regional Police, Kombes Ariasandy explained “One suspect MR, a male Australian foreigner, currently has been detained in the Bali Regional Police.”
He added “The MR report is handled by the Badung Police and has been in the investigation stage. Four witnesses have been examined and the plan is to examine 11 other witnesses.”
Finns Beach Club is also currently facing the threat of temporary closure notices due to operating with incomplete licenses and permits. Bali’s Satpol PP, the Civil Police Unit, is waiting for final permission to issue the temporary closure notices to the world-famous beach club venue.
The Head of the Bali Tourism Board, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, told reporters “I saw the video which is very concerning, we want all parties to work together to guard against it, this is extraordinary, it has exceeded our expectations. This year we will install [billboards] in several areas, [to share behaviors] which are allowed and which are not.”
He added, “They are said to be drunk, meaning that people are beyond the limits of consciousness, so they do inappropriate things. We will communicate with law enforcement, the police have taken action [already] including immigration.”
Pemayun confirmed that at least ten billboards will be installed across areas of Bali where tourists have become more likely to engage in criminal activity, including in Canggu’s Berawa. Billboards will also be installed in Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, and Bedugul.
Indonesia’s Deputy Minister for Tourism, Ni Luh Puspa, also shared her response to the incident at Finns Beach Club and the apparent rising crime rates in Bali’s top resorts.
She shared “This has also become a concern for the minister, we at the center are also very worried about this, we want to immediately find a solution together with the center and the regions.”
The Minister added, “This [kind of behavior] has entered the criminal realm, of course, we support the police including the local government, of course, the steps of law enforcement need to be strengthened again.”
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