It is obvious Bali authorities are fed-up with misbehaving foreigners.
There has been talk of imposing a tax on tourists.
Bali’s governor has flagged a proposed ban on tourists using motorbikes and requested Russian and Ukrainian tourists no longer be allowed to get a visa on arrival in Indonesia.
Hotel workers are being instructed to educate foreign guests on what they can and can’t do, and there is an official campaign cracking down on unruly behaviour, with large billboards expected to be installed.
Ravindra Singh Shekhawat, general manager for Bali operations at Melbourne-based tour company Intrepid Travel, moved to the island in February last year.
He told news.com.au his observations were that only a “very small” percentage of tourists behave in an unruly manner, but recently, that percentage was increasing.
“Recently there has been an increase in tourists not following the local laws and respecting local culture and traditions, including instances of tourists getting into heated arguments with local police for not wearing helmets or breaking traffic laws,” he said.
“Police have responded to this unruly behaviour by increasing their routine checks on the ground, such as driver licence checks and drink and driving checks.”
Singh Shekhawat said tourists must ensure they understand the local customs, traditions and local laws before they visit to avoid trouble.
“Bali is a perfect place for a holiday with family, friends, and even solo, but travellers must understand the rules and act accordingly,” he warned.
He added Intrepid’s local tour leaders made sure they informed their travellers of what they can and can’t do – something the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association and Bali’s tourism board are pushing for across the tourism industry.
Stephanie Yip, a travel expert at comparison website Finder, said good manners and respect were important no matter where you were travelling, and it was easy in Bali.
“It’s very easy to stay out of trouble and have the holiday that you’ve been dreaming of,” she said.
“Before you leave home, look up etiquette rules and local laws for your holiday destination. When you’re at a tourist attraction, don’t ignore the signage. It’s there to guide you on what is and isn’t permitted. If you’re renting a car or motorcycle, look up the road rules before you drive off to avoid any unnecessary fines or accidents.
“For a popular destination like Bali, there’s so much signage and information available regarding etiquette and customs.”
Yip pointed out that the consequence of ignoring them could be a hefty fine or being kicked out of the country.
