Authorities on the Indonesian island of Bali are preparing new rules that would require tourists to submit three months of bank statements before being allowed to enter the popular holiday isle. Officials say the move is to weed out “unruly” tourists and help focus the tourism sector on affluent, “high quality” visitors.
According to multiple media reports, the new regulations will come into effect this year. Other rules could require the payment of a tourist levy and compel visitors to dress appropriately and to behave in a respectful manner at cultural and religious sites.
The initiatives come in response to bad behaviour by tourists, going back many years and causing grave offence in a deeply religious society.
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Foreign tourists have been filmed posing naked or semi‑naked at temples and on sacred mountains. Other incidents include tourists riding motorbikes without helmets or shirts, performing wheelies or racing on public roads, setting off fireworks in crowded streets, getting into street brawls, and aggressively damaging property in clinics or cafés.
In other cases, foreigners have climbed and performed stunts on temple structures or sacred trees, seen as deeply disrespectful to Balinese Hindu beliefs.
Hoping to control the situation, Bali earlier introduced printed “dos and don’ts” cards for arriving tourists and detailed behavioural guidelines. Immigration and police have also launched operations to hunt for violators, with penalties including fines, prison terms for serious offences, and deportation.
