EYEWITNESS NEWS – DENPASAR
17 October, 2026
Bali Governor Wayan Koster officially opened the 2nd Indonesia Tourism Marketing Week (ITMW) 2026, held at the Wantilan Ballroom, Prama Sanur Beach Bali, Sanur, on Saturday (17/10/2026).
On this occasion, Governor Koster emphasized the importance of strengthening Bali’s tourism competitiveness through infrastructure improvements, enhanced service quality, and central government financing policy support that takes into account the characteristics and regional contributions to the national economy.
ITMW 2026 is an annual forum initiated by MarkPlus Tourism (MCorp) that brings together various stakeholders within the national tourism ecosystem, ranging from government officials, destination managers, industry players, and academics, to marketing practitioners. Carrying the theme “Reimagining Tourism: In a Fragmented World!”, the event runs for five days, from October 14 to 18, 2026, across several locations in Bali. The forum serves as a platform to strengthen collaboration, develop innovation, and formulate strategies to boost Indonesia’s tourism competitiveness amid global dynamics.
MCorp Founder and Chair Hermawan Kartajaya, in his remarks, stated that ITMW 2026 is directed toward strengthening Indonesia’s tourism competitiveness through digital promotion integration, local community empowerment, and the development of sustainable tourism. He noted that Bali possesses excellence in tourism management, making it worthy of serving as a learning benchmark for other regions across Indonesia.
“I think everyone should learn from Bali, the champion in Indonesia,” he stated. The series of ITMW 2026 events also featured various activities, including a coffee-blending competition, environmental conservation actions and baby sea turtle release, discussions on digitalization and the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI), as well as a conference featuring several national speakers.
In his address, Governor Koster shared his perspective on the strategic role of tourism in economic development. According to him, tourism is a sector closely intertwined with various aspects of life and capable of generating a broad economic impact. Koster noted that he has studied this perspective since serving as a member of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), encompassing both technocratic and economic-philosophical aspects. Referring to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, he explained that at a certain level of need, traveling becomes an integral part of human needs. “Therefore, tourism is the most tangible world. If we are able to drive growth in this sector, it will impact other sectors as well. Hence, it must be built with great detail,” he said.
Governor Koster further outlined the positive growth trajectory of Bali’s tourism sector. In 2025, the number of domestic and international tourist arrivals to Bali reached 16.3 million visits. Based on the data he presented, Bali’s tourism sector generated foreign exchange earnings of IDR 176 trillion, or approximately 55 percent of the total national tourism foreign exchange of IDR 319.9 trillion. Governor Koster also highlighted the immense role of the tourism sector in sustaining the regional economy. “The contribution to Bali’s economic growth is also very high, standing at 66 percent,” he noted.
According to Governor Koster, this tourism growth has positively impacted several of Bali’s macroeconomic indicators, including driving economic growth, increasing Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), reducing poverty rates, and elevating the Human Development Index (HDI). Nevertheless, rapid tourism development also presents serious challenges that require rigorous handling, ranging from the conversion of agricultural land, waste and traffic issues, limited infrastructure and public transportation, to an increase in desecration cases at sacred sites. The Provincial Government of Bali continues to address these issues, but requires adequate funding support to resolve them thoroughly and sustainably.
In light of these conditions, Governor Koster urged the central government to ensure that fund-transfer policies to regions do not rely on a one-size-fits-all approach, but instead factor in the characteristics, needs, and respective contributions of each region to the national economy. He argued that Bali faces distinct conditions compared to other regions, as it must provide infrastructure and public services that cater not only to local residents but also to the millions of tourists arriving every year. “To my knowledge, ever since my time in the DPR, we have never formulated a policy that accounts for specific regional conditions. Development fund transfers for infrastructure are patterned with a nearly uniform treatment for every region. Consequently, we fail to recognize regions like Bali that contribute significantly to the country,” he elaborated.
Governor Koster stressed that developing quality tourism cannot rely solely on Bali’s cultural richness and natural beauty. It requires adequate support from the tourism ecosystem—primarily infrastructure, transportation, waste management, and clean water availability. All of these components must be developed in an integrated manner to maintain tourist comfort while elevating the quality of life for the people of Bali. “If we talk about culture, it is indeed a divine blessing. But to realize quality tourism, that alone is not enough. Transportation and infrastructure must be good, waste must be managed, water must be available, and so on,” he expressed.
Furthermore, Governor Koster reminded that current tourism competition is no longer limited to inter-regional rivalry within Indonesia, but takes place on an international scale. Bali must be able to compete with tourist destinations in neighboring countries that continuously improve and upgrade their infrastructure quality. Therefore, he views Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand as benchmarks for Bali’s future tourism development. “Those are the countries we use as role models to emulate. Otherwise, Bali’s competitiveness will decline,” he added.
To accelerate these improvements, Governor Koster hopes the central government can provide more proportional financial support for Bali. From the tourism foreign exchange contribution of IDR 176 trillion, he proposed that Bali receive funding support equivalent to at least 5 percent to bolster inter-regional infrastructure development. He believes that support through the State Budget (APBN) will help Bali improve infrastructure quality, strengthen connectivity, and sustain tourism competitiveness in the long run.
Governor Koster expressed optimism that improved infrastructure quality and enhanced tourism competitiveness in Bali will not only benefit the local community and regional economy, but also contribute to national economic growth through increased tourism foreign exchange. Once Bali’s infrastructure foundation is solidified, tourism development can be directed toward enhancing connectivity and collaboration with other destinations across Indonesia. This aligns with the spirit of ITMW 2026, which promotes synergy and the sustainable development of national tourism. “This will also lift the national economy as foreign exchange earnings continue to grow. After that, we can begin discussing how to connect Bali’s tourism with other regions, as intended by the ITMW Forum,” he concluded.
Reporter : Daniel Herry
