US Embassy Wants to Help Indonesia Increase Tourist Visits to Bali

RRI.CO.ID, Badung- The United States Embassy to Indonesia wants to increase the number of tourists visiting the island, including by engaging with domestic airlines.

"We're happy to communicate with US companies and various airlines to make travel easier, especially since the journey is long. We're very interested in helping as many US citizens as possible come to Bali easily," said Peter M. Haymond, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the US Embassy, at the Jimbaran Hub in Badung Regency, Bali, on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Options for increasing US tourist arrivals include opening direct flights and adding more flights from various destinations. "We will do our best to support that," Haymond said.

Currently, there are no direct flights from Bali to the United States. Tourists from the US must currently transit through another city at least once from Bali, including Singapore, Taipei, Hong Kong, Doha, or Dubai.

The senior diplomat explained that tourists from the US tend to spend a lot. By 2025, they are expected to contribute USD 330 million (IDR 5.54 trillion at an exchange rate of IDR16,800 per USD) to Bali's economy.

According to data from the Bali Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), the number of US tourists in Bali in 2025 reached 274,000, ranking seventh among foreign tourist arrivals. This figure is 4.88 percent higher than the 2024 figure of 261,000.

"They come to experience the beauty of Bali's culture and rich traditions. They represent Americans traveling abroad to see world-famous tourist destinations, including Bali," he said. ***