HEYBALI.NEWS — In a bold move aimed at fundamentally reshaping its tourism industry, the Bali provincial government will soon implement a new entry requirement for international visitors: a verification of their bank account statements. According to an official announcement on Thursday, starting in 2026, foreign tourists may need to show proof of sufficient funds in their accounts for the preceding three months before being granted entry to the Island of the Gods.
Governor Wayan Koster framed the unprecedented policy as a necessary step toward achieving “quality tourism,” shifting the island’s focus away from sheer visitor numbers and toward attracting travelers with greater economic means and, by extension, better conduct.
“One of the aspects we are looking at for quality tourism is how much money has been in their savings book for the last three months,” Governor Koster stated in Gianyar, as reported by the state news agency Antara.
The measure goes beyond a simple financial check. Provincial authorities will also conduct a deeper verification of a tourist’s travel itinerary, including the duration of their stay and detailed plans for their activities in Bali. Koster described the policy as one of reciprocity, noting that many countries enforce similar strict financial requirements for Indonesian citizens seeking to visit.
“This is so everything is controlled, just as when we travel to other countries. Since other countries have such policies, we will do the same,” he said.
The announcement comes amidst a period of record-breaking arrivals. In 2025, Bali saw an all-time high of over 7 million international visitors arriving by air, with an additional 71,000 by sea—a post-pandemic surge that officials say has revealed critical flaws in the current system. Since broadly reopening in 2022, the influx has been described as “uncontrollable” and difficult to filter, leading to concerns over sustainability and the preservation of Balinese culture and norms.
“We mobilized everything to get people to come to Bali, that’s what’s happening now, so they (tourists) have become too comfortable. This we must overcome, and overcoming it cannot be done in a day or two; it requires patience,” Koster asserted.
The governor made clear that Bali’s strategic objective is no longer to chase numerical targets set by the central government, but to pursue a model that yields greater positive economic impact while preventing behavioral violations that tarnish the island’s reputation. This comprehensive overhaul of tourism governance is slated to be formalized through a Regional Regulation (Perda).
“Moving forward, we will begin steering toward quality tourism, so it’s not just about quantity, but about quality, designed through the regional regulation on tourism governance,” Koster concluded.
The policy signals a potential turning point for one of the world’s most famous destinations, directly impacting how global travelers, expatriates, and the tourism industry at large will engage with Bali in the years to come.
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