A surge in foreigner-linked crime has raised fears that Bali may turn into a “killing ground” for drug traffickers and organised crime groups, as officials and residents warn that efforts to boost mass tourism are eroding public safety and inviting the wrong kind of visitors to the Indonesian island.
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Bali police recorded a 16 per cent rise in crimes involving foreigners last year – from 194 cases in 2023 to 226 in 2024 – with 108 such incidents logged between January and June of this year, according to local news outlet The Bali Sun.
Local politician Agung Bagus Pratiksa Linggih attributed the issue to an influx of low-budget travellers staying long-term in unlicensed accommodations that have proliferated since the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The quality of tourists coming to Bali is decreasing,” Agung said as quoted by The Guardian. “This is due to the rapid growth of illegal homestays, which allows low-budget foreigners to stay longer in Bali.”
More than 60,000 visitors arrive on the island each day, which has a population of 4.2 million. Last year, Indonesia’s most visited island welcomed over 6.3 million foreign tourists, and the provincial government hopes to surpass that figure by attracting 6.5 million this year.
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But the pressure from such volumes is mounting, say locals, who fear that rapid growth without adequate controls is attracting criminal elements.