Foreign tourists are a major contributor to Bali's tourism industry. However, recently, some foreign tourists have been misbehaving, causing concern among the local community and government.
These misbehaviors range from violating traffic laws, using fake Indonesian ID cards, to filing petitions because they were disturbed by the crowing of local residents' roosters. Some foreign tourists have also misused their visitor permits by working in Bali.
In response, Bali Governor I Wayan Koster will establish a special task force to monitor and take action against legal violations committed by foreign tourists.
The task force will involve elements from the Bali Provincial Government, Bali Police, Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Bali Immigration Office, and the Bali Satpol PP (Public Order Agency).
"We have identified various types of violations committed by tourists and foreign nationals in Bali Province, and there will be integrated handling," said Koster, as reported by *Katadata.co.id*, Friday (March 10, 2023).
According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), around 2.15 million foreign tourists visited Bali throughout 2022, the majority coming from Australia.
Many foreign tourists in Bali are also from Singapore, India, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Germany, South Korea, Russia, and the Netherlands, as shown in the graph.
At the beginning of this year, the Bali Provincial Government planned to revoke the visa-on-arrival policy for foreign tourists from Russia and Ukraine.
According to Bali Governor I Wayan Koster, tourists from Russia and Ukraine often use the guise of tourism to escape the conflict in their countries.
"Because the two countries are at war, they are uncomfortable in their own countries. They are flocking to Bali, including people who are not tourists, returning to seek comfort, including to work," said Koster, as reported by *Katadata.co.id*, Sunday (March 12, 2023).
Koster also mentioned that foreign tourists from Russia and Ukraine have violated regulations more often than tourists from other countries.