Bali’s hotel industry is facing an anomalous situation of steadily rising arrival numbers in the face of shorter lengths of stay, as measured in online bookings.
As reported by Kompas.com, the change in booking patterns is contributing to the confused atmosphere surrounding tourism, which is exacerbated by global economic and political uncertainty. While tourists would previously book their Bali holiday six months in advance, the booking period has now been shortened to only three months.
The substantial truncating of the advance booking period reflects the dynamics and global uncertainty, which is causing people to be “more spontaneous” in making their holiday plans. This developing situation should be viewed in conjunction with the challenge of increasing airfares and geopolitical threats, which, according to one Bali hotelier sourced by Kompas.com, reflect a tourist guest profile that is more flexible and adaptive.
Kompas.com quotes Ferry Salanto, the Head of Research for Property Consultants Colliers Indonesia, who says the change in booking patterns should not be seen as a momentary phenomenon, but rather as a strong indication of a new dynamic at play in how holiday decisions are made.
Data from the Bali Provincial Central Statistics Agency (BPS-Bali) gives cause for optimism, yet other figures cause concern. In April 2025, foreign tourist visits reached 591,221 people, a 25.56 percent increase from the previous month. Australia remains the dominant market with a 23.59 percent share, followed by India (8.9 percent), China (8.3 percent), South Korea (5 percent), and Malaysia (3.8 percent).
At the same time. Room Occupancy Rates for star-rated hotels in May 2025 stood at 58.10 percent, a slight increase from April but a significant 8-point decrease compared to May 2024 (66.10%). The occupancy levels of non-star-rated hotels increased only slightly to 42.97 percent.
Ferry Salanto highlighted several contributory inhibiting factors, including global uncertainty, higher domestic airfares, and government efficiency policies that limit “official” business travel. “Global economic uncertainty and short booking periods make it difficult for hoteliers to set competitive prices,” Ferry said.
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