2026 is proving to be an up-and-down year for travel. The conflict in the Middle East is understandably making tourists and travellers nervous about flying long haul, especially given the major travel disruptions we saw earlier in the year.
The cost of living is also playing a huge part in travelers’ decision-making process, but one thing is for sure: Bali remains a safe, welcoming, and surprisingly affordable destination no matter what is happening in the rest of the world.
Geopolitical conflicts, changes, tensions, and issues around the world are of huge concern to us all, both personally and professionally. Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa has spoken to reporters over the weekend and is opting to see silver linings.
She believes that the weakening rupiah against the US dollar is actually an attraction for tourists to come to Indonesia. A dramatic weakening of the Indonesian Rupiah has caused uproar nationwide over the last few weeks, with the cost of living negatively impacting millions of households across the country.
Speaking from the Bali & Beyond Travel Fair that was hosted in Bali this weekend, Deputy Minister Ni Luh Puspa explained, “We see this (the weakening of the rupiah) as an opportunity for Indonesia. This will make Indonesia more attractive to tourists.” Adding “So, I think this current situation presents an opportunity for Indonesia to become more attractive to visitors, allowing for longer stays than usual. That’s extraordinary.”
To take advantage of this opportunity, the Deputy Minister confirmed that the Ministry of Tourism is intensifying promotions to attract more tourists. The department carries out sales missions and participates in a wide range of exhibitions in the hope of increasing the number of visits to Indonesia.
For tourists, this means that over the coming months, there will be more travel deals to be snapped up from flights to hotels, to tours and activities.
The Deputy Tourism Minister told reporters that from January to March 2026, the Ministry of Tourism observed that the tourism situation remained stable, with the number of visits increasing compared to the first quarter of 2025.
This is far better than projected, given the global geopolitical situation, so it’s easy to see why Ni Luh Puspa remains confident and positive. This can be taken as a green light for tourists to book their next trip to Bali with a solid peace of mind. With the peak travel season just getting started, it’s not too late to make the most of these last minute travel deals.
She confirmed that the Ministry of Tourism is not resting on its laurels and sees that there is still potential for some tourist demographics to decrease in the number of visits, but that this can be compensated for elsewhere.
This again is another opportunity for tourists to snap up high-value travel deals for the remainder of 2026 and maybe even benefit from there being fewer crowds in certain tourist hotspots in Bali and around Indonesia.
Ni Luh Puspa concluded, “We need to strengthen how to increase short-haul and medium-haul flights. This will certainly serve as a substitute for the European, American, and Middle Eastern markets, which have experienced declines due to the geopolitical situation.”
This is an issue that is already being addressed. Virgin Australia, for example, will be launching a new direct flight service from Canberra to Bali by the end of the month.
This is the stance from the Ministry of Tourism, but what about from the perspective of tourist attractions in Bali? Tanah Lot’s Operations Manager, I Wayan Sudiana, in speaking to reporters, acknowledged that there has been a change in visitor trends due to the current economic conditions.
He noted that the decline is considered not too significant, and tourist interest remains relatively stable. “There has been a slight decrease in visits, but overall, the number of visitors is still quite high. This shows that Tanah Lot remains popular with tourists.”
Sudiana explained that no matter what happens, he and his teams are ready to provide tourists a welcoming, memorable, and positive experience at Bali’s most famous sea temple. He shared, “We ensure all services run optimally so that tourists feel safe and comfortable during their visit.”
Adding “We are optimistic that with the improving economic conditions, public interest in tourism will increase again. Tanah Lot is ready to welcome tourists with the best service.”
Discover more from The Bali Sun
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.