The question of whether a second airport will materialize in northern Bali remains unanswered, however, industry insiders speaking with TTG Asia emphasize that what’s truly essential is an enhanced strategy for managing and expanding the island’s ground transportation network. The notion of constructing an additional airport originated with the Balinese regional government, driven by the realization that Ngurah Rai International Airport’s current capacity of 17 million passengers per year would likely be insufficient to handle the projected surge in tourism.
Indonesia’s Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya Sumadi, indicated that the government is still in the process of making a final decision on this matter. Nevertheless, he pointed out that the current priority is to optimize the existing airport situated in southern Bali, perhaps by adding another runway.
Rather than pursuing the construction of a new airport, Ida Bagus Agung Partha, who chairs the Bali Tourism Board (GIPI), has pressed the Indonesian government to direct its efforts towards upgrading road and seaport infrastructure. His argument is that such improvements would significantly ease travel for visitors moving across Bali. He articulated, “The substandard road conditions and the scarcity of other viable transportation options have posed challenges for tourists seeking to discover more of Bali. Crucially, embracing such developments could also serve as an entry point for attracting potential investments, thereby generating entrepreneurial prospects for the local population.”
Ketut Ardana, who leads the ASITA Bali Chapter, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Improved road infrastructure would empower travel companies to craft exciting road trip itineraries to northern Bali. This would effectively redistribute Bali’s tourism flow, moving it away from the heavily concentrated areas of Kuta and Nusa Dua.” He further elaborated, “Even though Bali boasts some of Indonesia’s most breathtaking scenic routes, the journey from Ngurah Rai to northern Bali currently takes over three hours. If we could trim that travel time down to, say, an hour and a half, we would undoubtedly see a greater number of tourists choosing to embark on these road trips.”
Ida Bagus Lolec Surakusuma, the managing director of Pacific World Nusantara, offered his perspective: “What Bali truly needs is a broadening of its offerings and destinations, not an entirely new airport. We simply need to cultivate a more inventive approach.”
