Indonesia’s Deputy Tourism Minister, Ni Luh Puspa, has issued statements calling for increased security in Bali’s tourism resorts following a fatal shooting earlier this month.
While the shooting is reported to be a targeted attack in connection with an organized crime gang, the incident sent shock waves through the Bali community and prospective holidaymakers.
Indonesia’s Deputy Tourism Minister, Ni Luh Puspa, spoke to reporters in Bali during the opening go the Bali Arts Festival in Denpasar.
She explained “We are very concerned about what happened and this has been handled by the police. This is also a reflection for us that security issues are very important.”
The Deputy Tourism Minister is calling for increased security at hotels, guesthouses, villas, hostels, and B&Bs after the shooting at Vila Casa Santisya in Munggu Village, close to Canggu, on the 14th of June 2025.
During the incident, two armed men are reported to have entered the villa, shooting and killing Zivan Radmanovic, 32, and seriously injuring Sanar Ghanim, 35. Both Radmanovic and Ghanim’s partners were also in the villa at the time of the shooting but were uninjured in the attack. Radmanovic and Ghanim were both already known to Australian law enforcement.
Deputy Tourism Minister Pupsa added, “The main one is to improve the safety in the hotel itself. So the supervision and security in the hotel must also be increased so that things like this do not happen again.”
An investigation into the shooting remains underway, with two suspects in police custody. On 17th June the Indonesian National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, told the media “Regarding the shooting involving Australian citizens, I have received a report from the Bali Police Chief. One suspect has been secured in Jakarta, and another is on the way from overseas.”
Australian tourists are the most frequent international arrivals in Bali and international tourists make up almost 50% of all visitors to the province. Minister Puspa responded to policy updates from the Australian government regarding the safety of its citizens in Indonesia.
She explained “We see Australia is still growing every year. They are still in the top three [of the number] of foreign tourists who come to Bali. The travel warning does not prohibit people from coming to Bali, but to increase vigilance and Indonesia also usually issues travel warnings to our people who travel abroad.”
The Minister concluded by calling for cooperation between Bali tourism providers and tourists visiting the province.
She noted “If we see the messages are good, respecting local communities, increasing awareness and being reminded that if for example going to the beach and so on we must pay attention to safety when traveling. That’s is good thing and we must encourage it together.”
Earlier this month Australian tourists were issued with updated travel safety advice by the Foreign Office. The travel advice authority, Smartraveler, issued updated safety guidance calling for tourists to exercise a ‘high degree of caution’ following the capsizing of a Bali fast boat in Nusa Lembongan.
However, in the days that followed the update guidance the Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles issued a statement confirming that Bali remains a safe destination for holidaymakers.
During a press conference, Marles explained “I don’t want to make it seem like there’s something big that we’re doing with this travel advisory. This is just a routine update. It’s a note of caution regarding the use of ships or sea transportation.”
Adding “Bali remains a favorite destination for Australians. It is an important part of our bilateral relationship and something that we strongly support.”
Tourists traveling to Indonesia are advised to check in with their national travel adviser briar and foreign office before traveling to ensure that they are up to speed with the latest guidance, alerts, and warnings that may impact their travel plans.
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