The Bank of Indonesia and the government of Bali have launched a digitalization program for tourist villages. Modern services are being adopted in Taro, Pemuteran, Penglipuran, Undisan, Jatiluwih, and Les, as well as in key island locations like the Monkey Forest in Ubud, the Uluwatu temple, and Pandawa beach.
Villages have been connected to online platforms for accommodation bookings, tour organization, and guest flow management. Local residents are being trained to work with digital systems. Payments are accepted via QRIS, the national contactless payment system available to tourists from China and Japan. Simply scan a QR code, and the amount is deducted from a foreign account in yuan or yen.
In the first half of 2025, more than 39 million transactions were carried out through QRIS in Bali, amounting to about 6 trillion rupiah. Over 90% of users are small and medium business owners, including residents of tourist villages.
"Digitalization makes tourism more modern and safer, and local involvement higher," said the head of the Bali branch of the Bank of Indonesia, Erwin Suriadmadja. As part of the project, the bank holds partnership meetings where villages and online services jointly develop promotion strategies.
The head of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association in Bali, Tjokorda Sukawati, reminded: "Villages are first and foremost about people, their traditions, and culture. Development should rely on the participation of local residents."
Digital tools simplify travel for guests—booking, paying for tours and souvenirs—and provide direct income to communities without unnecessary intermediaries.
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