Geopolitical upheavals in the region — the escalating conflict between Thailand and Cambodia — have unexpectedly boosted tourism in Bali. Australia, the USA, and the UK have updated their travel advisories, urging tourists to avoid the 50-kilometer zone along the Thai-Cambodian border. Although Bangkok and Phuket remain in the 'green' zone, the prospect of instability prompts travelers to change their routes.
The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association in Bali (PHRI) sees this as an opportunity to attract holidaymakers seeking a safer destination. 'People choose places where they feel calm and comfortable,' emphasizes Perry Markus, the secretary of PHRI on the island.
Clashes began on July 24, claiming at least 43 lives in five days; more than 300,000 people were evacuated. A ceasefire was signed in Malaysia on July 29, brokered by the USA and China, but Bangkok has already accused Phnom Penh of violating it.
Authorities and tour operators are swiftly promoting Bali as a reliable alternative to Thailand and are enhancing service quality to not just fill hotels but also increase the average length of stays. The island is already showing solid growth: in May 2025, the average hotel occupancy exceeded 58%, and the average stay for both domestic and international guests reached 2.61 nights.
Ngurah Rai International Airport also shows impressive dynamics. In the first half of 2025, it served 11.4 million passengers — more than in the same period in 2024 (11.2 million). Of these, 7.2 million were international passengers, and the number of takeoffs and landings exceeded 69,000.
By the end of 2024, Ngurah Rai ranked second in terms of operations among Indonesian airports: 142,000 operations, which means around 388 flights per day. Bali remains the only airport in the country regularly receiving the giant Airbus A380-800.
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