The discussion surrounding a potential second airport in northern Bali continues, yet many within the tourism industry, as reported by TTG Asia, believe that the immediate priority should be a comprehensive overhaul and expansion of the existing land infrastructure on the island, which is incredibly popular with visitors.
The Bali regional government initially put forward the proposal for a new airport because I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, with its capacity of 17 million passengers annually, is widely considered insufficient to handle the projected surge in tourism.
Indonesia’s Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya Sumadi, has indicated that the government is still weighing its options regarding the new airport. However, the current strategy emphasizes optimizing the existing airport in southern Bali, perhaps by adding another runway.
Rather than constructing a new aviation hub, Ida Bagus Agung Partha, who chairs the Bali Tourism Board (GIPI), has pressed the Indonesian government to direct its efforts toward enhancing road and seaport infrastructure. This, he argues, would significantly improve the ease with which visitors can traverse Bali.
He articulated his perspective by stating, “The primary challenge for tourists wishing to discover more of Bali lies in the substandard road conditions and the scarcity of viable alternative transportation options. Furthermore, such infrastructural advancements could serve as a conduit for attracting significant investments, thereby fostering new business ventures and job creation for the local populace.”
Ketut Ardana, who leads the ASITA Bali Chapter, echoed these sentiments, explaining, “With superior road networks, tour operators would be empowered to design engaging road trip packages to northern Bali. This initiative would effectively redistribute Bali’s tourism volume, moving it away from the highly concentrated areas of Kuta and Nusa Dua.”
He further elaborated, “Despite Bali boasting some of Indonesia’s most breathtaking scenic routes, travelers currently face journeys exceeding three hours to reach northern Bali from Ngurah Rai. If we could successfully halve this travel time to approximately an hour and a half, we would undoubtedly see a substantial increase in tourists opting for road-based explorations.”
Ida Bagus Lolec Surakusuma, the managing director of Pacific World Nusantara, offered a different viewpoint, asserting, “Bali’s true need is for a broader range of attractions and destinations, not another airport. Our focus should simply be on fostering greater innovation within the existing framework.”
Article Summary: Discussions about a second airport in northern Bali are ongoing but tourism industry figures highlight the urgent need for improved land infrastructure. The Bali government proposed the new airport due to anticipated tourism growth exceeding the existing airport’s 17 million passenger capacity. Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi confirms the government is still considering the new airport but is prioritizing optimizing the existing Ngurah Rai airport, possibly with an additional runway. Ida Bagus Agung Partha of the Bali Tourism Board advocates for developing road and seaport infrastructure to ease travel and attract investment. Ketut Ardana of ASITA Bali agrees, stating better roads would enable northern Bali road trips, dispersing tourism from Kuta and Nusa Dua, and reducing long travel times. Ida Bagus Lolec Surakusuma of Pacific World Nusantara believes Bali needs product and destination diversification, not a new airport, emphasizing innovation.
