Tourists Soar, Bali Is On The List Of Second Most Populous Islands In The World

Illustration of the island of Bali (Freepic)

JAKARTA - Bali Island, the most popular tourist destination in Indonesia is now facing serious challenges due to the surge in visitor numbers. Based on the latest data released by Visual Capitalist, Bali has been named the second most populous island in the world after Java.

Reporting from the South China Morning Post page, this title is not merely proud, but also shows the real impact of overtourism which further suppresses the lives of local people.

With an area of about 5,780 square kilometers, Bali has a population density of 731 people per square kilometer. This figure does not include tourists who come every day.

This island receives an average of more than 60 thousand visitors per day, both domestically and abroad. Throughout 2024, more than 6.3 million foreign tourists visited Bali. This makes Bali the center of Indonesian tourism.

Bali's popularity continues to increase. In fact, a study from the travel agent Travelbag named Bali the most beautiful island in the world in 2025. However, behind that charm, local residents began to feel marginalized.

This phenomenon is also a concern of international media. Last year, the Fodors Travel Guide included Bali in the list of destinations that should be avoided by 2025, with the main reason being overtourism.

Despite receiving negative attention, the local government denied that Bali was experiencing overtourism. The head of the Bali Tourism Office, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, stated that Bali is still able to accommodate tourists based on data on the number of hotel rooms and the capacity of tourist attractions.

"We do not say that Bali is experiencing overtourism. The real problem is on the highway so that traffic jams don't occur," said Tjok Bagus Pemayun.

However, Tjok admits that the management of the flow of tourist visits, especially during the holiday season such as Christmas and Eid al-Fitr, needs to be handled better.

"Bali must always be ready, because as a tourist destination, the world does not wait. When there is a big day, readiness must be increased." he added.

The surge in tourists is indeed economically beneficial, but also has a social, environmental and cultural impact. Bali is now at an intersection, which is between staying a world tourism magnet, or formulating a new strategy that is more friendly to local residents and the environment.