Bali to Ban Tourists from Renting Motorbikes

Bali, a popular Indonesian island, is considering a ban on tourists renting motorbikes due to reports of dangerous and disrespectful behavior exhibited by visitors. Wayan Koster, the leader of Bali's local government, stated that tourists should not ride motorbikes without proper attire, including shirts or clothes, helmets, and licenses, as reported by the BBC.

Koster's proposal for banning tourist motorbike rentals followed discussions on social media about traffic offenses, as noted by Indonesian news website Kompas. According to Bali police, there were 171 cases of traffic rule violations by foreigners in late February and early March 2023.

Koster expressed his preference for foreign visitors to use cars rented from travel companies rather than motorbikes or scooters, as mentioned by CNN. However, this plan has faced opposition, especially considering Bali's ongoing recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global tourism.

Nyoman Sukma Arida, a tourism expert from Bali's Udayana University, argued that the ban could harm Bali's international reputation. Sukma attributed the increasing number of traffic offenses to the lack of effective rule enforcement, as highlighted in the BBC report.

Before 2020, Bali attracted around 6 million tourists annually, with the tourism industry contributing approximately 60% to the island's economy. In January 2023, over 330,000 tourists arrived, with more than 27% of them originating from Australia, according to the local government's data.

Renting a scooter is commonly recommended as one of the "best things to do" for visitors to Bali by Time Out magazine. The article suggests that scooters, including those with insurance, can be rented for around $6 per day, while cheaper options can be found for as little as $2.

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