The Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, stated that the island cannot cope with traffic jams: the congestion is already hindering tourism and may eventually reduce interest in visiting. According to him, if the issue is prolonged, tourists will more often choose other destinations.
Koster says that in his second term, he is focusing on infrastructure—roads and transport solutions, which should alleviate the main routes. However, he admits that traffic jams won't disappear quickly, as this involves construction and systemic changes in transportation.
The Governor also shared tourism figures: by December 31, 2025, Bali had welcomed around 7.05 million foreign tourists—a record, he said. According to his assessment, hotel occupancy is roughly between 75–85%, and revenues for hotels and restaurants are 'growing across all areas'. At the same time, Koster highlighted the 'downside' of mass tourism, identifying traffic jams and waste as the two main issues.
The authorities are planning a five-year program of priority infrastructure projects to better connect the north, south, east, west, and center of the island, or thereby redistributing traffic. According to Koster, the regional budget is insufficient, so he sought support from the Ministry of Public Works of Indonesia, and he stated that the idea was supported in Jakarta.
This involves continuing the Singaraja—Mengwitani 'shortcut'—a mountain route that should make the road between the north and south of Bali safer and faster. The project started in the village of GitGit. The completion time is 750 calendar days.
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