Indonesia: Bali to ban foreign tourists from renting motorbikes

Illustrative image. (Photo: tempo.co)

Jakarta (VNA) – The administration of the popular Indonesian resort island of Bali is planning to prohibit foreign tourists from renting motorbikes following a series of traffic violations by misbehaving visitors posted on social networks.

Speaking at a press conference on March 13, Bali Tourism Office's head Tjok Bagus Pemayun said that the Bali Governor's 2020 regulations on tourism encouraged visitors to act in an orderly manner by using tourist transport services which are provided by travel agencies. Therefore, motorbikes do not classify as tourist vehicles.

The official said the office plans to discuss the matter with Bali police, adding that the local administration is focusing on putting things back in order to ensure the quality of tourism.

For his part, Minister of Tourism Sandiaga Uno called for a comprehensive study on the above-mentioned policy as motorbike rentals play a role in the economy. He admitted that the proposed ban also sparked a debate among the public, with some in favour of prohibiting foreigners from renting motorbikes. 

The Bali police said on March 12 that they had recorded more than 171 traffic violations by foreign tourists within a week. Most of them did not wear helmets and used fake licence plates.

According to government reports, Bali attracted 2.3 million foreign tourists last year. The island has set a goal to welcome 4.5 million foreign travelers this year./.