DENPASAR, DEWATA.NEWS – Bali recorded close to one million international tourist arrivals in the first two months of 2026, marking the highest figure for the same period in the past four years, according to official data.
The Bali Statistics Agency (BPS) reported a total of 994,494 foreign visitor arrivals between January and February 2026, reflecting a 1.42 percent increase compared to 980,594 arrivals during the same period in 2025.
Head of BPS Bali, Agus Gede Hendrayana Hermawan, confirmed the positive trend during a briefing in Denpasar on Wednesday.
“Cumulatively, international arrivals to Bali in January–February 2026 reached 994,494 visits,” he said.
Despite the overall growth, February arrivals showed a slight decline compared to January. In February 2026, Bali recorded 492,289 arrivals, an increase of 9.23 percent year-on-year, but a 1.96 percent decrease compared to the previous month.
According to Agus, the pattern mirrors trends observed in 2025, where January figures were higher than February. However, he noted a different context this year.
“In 2025, the drop was linked to the Lunar New Year holiday falling in January, while this year it occurred in February. However, external factors also played a role,” he explained.
BPS indicated that geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly involving Iran and a United States–Israel coalition, contributed to flight disruptions toward the end of February, affecting travel patterns.
Data also showed that only visitors from Asia and ASEAN regions experienced growth during that period, while other markets were impacted.
Australia remained the top source of visitors with 234,302 arrivals, followed by China with 124,745, India with 74,483, South Korea with 51,108, and Russia with 45,481.
Authorities noted that if the early-year trend continues, Bali has the potential to surpass total international visitor numbers recorded in the previous year.
The data highlights both the resilience of Bali’s tourism sector and its sensitivity to global travel disruptions.