DENPASAR, DEWATA.NEWS – Bali’s villa industry is pushing for the introduction of an official star classification system similar to hotels, amid concerns over inconsistent pricing and the lack of standardized quality benchmarks across the island’s growing villa market.
The proposal was raised by the Bali Villa Rental Management Association (BVRMA), which said the absence of clear villa classifications has created uneven competition and caused some high-quality properties to be rented at unusually low prices.
BVRMA Chairman I Kadek Adnyana said the association is currently encouraging the development of a villa classification framework ranging from one-star to five-star categories.
“We want to create a villa classification system similar to hotels. Later there would be one-star villas up to five-star villas,” Adnyana said during the Bali Villa Connect event at the Bali Sunset Road Convention Center (BSCC) in Pemogan, Denpasar, on Tuesday (26/5).
According to him, the classification study is still being developed together with academics and universities to ensure the standards have a strong foundation and can be accepted by villa operators.
The proposed standards are expected to cover service quality, facilities, operational standards, and pricing references for Bali’s villa accommodation sector.
Adnyana said the current market situation makes it difficult for tourists to distinguish between budget villas and premium properties because there is no formal quality categorization.
“At the moment, the market is not well organized between lower-class villas and luxury villas. Sometimes very good villas are sold at extremely cheap prices because of market competition,” he explained.
Beyond pricing concerns, the initiative is also intended to provide clearer information for travelers when choosing accommodations based on their preferences and budgets.
Officials from the association believe the classification system could improve transparency in Bali’s tourism accommodation industry while helping tourists better understand the level of facilities and services offered by each property.
“Tourists will be able to identify the level of villa they are looking for. Some are searching for standard accommodation, while others are specifically looking for high-class villas,” Adnyana added.
BVRMA is targeting completion of the classification study within this year, with implementation alongside villa businesses expected to begin next year.