In Indonesia’s Bali, a task force will weed out misbehaving tourists, low spenders ‘who make trouble’
- To protect the island’s tourism image, Bali has in recent months come down hard on misbehaving foreign visitors as they return in droves post pandemic
- The task force aims to conduct some 100 ‘control operations’ monthly until the end of the year, without disrupting tourism activities
The Indonesian resort island of Bali has widened its crackdown on rowdy tourists by rolling out a new task force that aims to carry out 100 law enforcement operations a month to weed out misbehaving foreign visitors and low-spending guests.
Bali, which attracted more than 2 million travellers last year, has in recent months come down hard on the undesirables to protect the island’s tourism image as it slowly recovers from the pandemic.
Silmy also said the anti-crime drive will run until the end of this year and he believed budget travellers are more likely to violate local laws.
“The main problem regarding foreigners in Bali is the large number of foreign tourists with low spending who often make trouble. Because Bali is included in the category of cheap tourist destinations, it attracts thin-pocketed tourists,” he said.
Silmy urged Bali residents to actively keep a tab on visitors and report those who misbehave or hurt religious sentiments to a newly unveiled hotline number, The Bali Sun reported.
According to the Bali immigration office, 163 foreigners were deported from the tourist hotspot in the first six months of the year for various transgressions, including acts of disrespect to the Hindu island’s culture.