Countries that Visits Bali the Most from 2014-2023

For the last 9 years, between 2014 to 2023, over 39 millions of visitors from around the world have flocked to Bali to experience its unique blend of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and modern amenities. 

With its tropical climate, stunning beaches, vibrant culture, and beautiful scenery, it’s no wonder that Bali has become one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet. 

In this article, we will take a closer look by dividing each country by its region and we will find out which countries that regularly provide its tourists to Bali from time to time.

Bali experienced substantial growth in foreign tourism from 2014 to 2019, followed by a sharp decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The subsequent years (2022-2023) have shown a robust recovery, although full pre-pandemic levels have not yet been reached.

From 2014 to 2019, there was a consistent increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting Bali, with growth rates ranging from 3.37% to 23.14%. The peak number of visitors was in 2019 with over 6.27 million tourists.

The global pandemic severely impacted tourism in 2020, resulting in a dramatic drop of 82.96% in tourist numbers compared to 2019. The situation worsened in 2021, with only 51 tourists visiting Bali, indicating a virtual halt in international tourism.

In 2022, there was a significant rebound in tourism with a super-massive increase in visits, totaling over 2.15 million tourists. This recovery continued into 2023, with a 144.61% growth rate, reaching over 5.27 million tourists, though still below the pre-pandemic peak of 2019.

Australia and China are the two most significant markets for Bali tourism. Australia leads with 8.7 million visitors, almost 2.1 million more than China, which ranks second with 6.6 million visitors. This underscores Australia’s strong cultural and geographical ties with Bali.

India has emerged as a significant market with over 2 million visitors, making it the third largest source of tourists. This indicates growing interest and increased connectivity between India and Bali.

The United Kingdom, France, and Germany are notable European contributors to Bali’s tourism, collectively bringing in around 4.3 million visitors. The UK leads among European countries, followed by France and Germany.

Malaysia, South Korea, and Singapore collectively contributed around 4 million visitors. This highlights the importance of regional proximity and connectivity in driving tourism to Bali.

The United States of America stands out with 1.5 million visitors, indicating a strong appeal of Bali to North American travelers despite the distance.

There was a general decline in visitors from Southeast Asia from 2014 to 2017, with each year showing negative growth rates.

A significant recovery and growth phase occurred in 2018 and 2019, with a notable peak in 2019 of 613,509 visitors. This period saw the highest growth rates, particularly 46% in 2018.

The pandemic caused a dramatic drop in visitors in 2020, with an -83.54% decline. No data is available for 2021, indicating a potential near-total halt in tourism.

The data for 2022 shows a significant recovery with a 234.53% increase, continuing into 2023 with a 31.38% growth rate, although total visitors in 2023 (443,776) have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels.

Malaysia

Peak in 2014 with 223,205 visitors, a decline till 2017, a small recovery in 2018, another decline in 2019, a sharp drop in 2020, recovery in 2022 and 2023 reaching 207,573.

Philippines

Steady growth from 32,727 in 2014 to 106,875 in 2019, a significant drop in 2020 to 16,642, partial recovery in 2022.

Singapore

Decrease from 178,174 in 2014 to 124,779 in 2017, recovery trend starts in 2018, reaching 163,327 in 2019, drop in 2020, significant recovery in 2022 and peak in 2023 at 236,203.

Thailand

Fluctuations from 2014 to 2017, peaking at 61,089 in 2019, sharp drop in 2020, partial recovery in 2022.

There was a consistent increase in visitors from Asian countries from 2014 to 2018, with notable peaks in 2016 (29.12% growth) and 2017 (19.23% growth). The highest number of visitors was recorded in 2018 with 2,410,620.

There was a slight decline in 2019 with a -3.71% growth rate, bringing the total to 2,321,161 visitors.

The pandemic caused an 85.60% drop in visitors in 2020, with only 334,247 visitors. There is no data for 2021, suggesting a significant impact on tourism.

The recovery began in 2022 with a 5.75% growth rate, totaling 353,456 visitors. This recovery accelerated in 2023 with a 168.01% growth rate, reaching 947,315 visitors, although still below the pre-pandemic peak.

China

Significant growth from 585,922 in 2014 to 1,361,512 in 2018, slight decline to 1,186,057 in 2019, sharp drop to 118,617 in 2020, minimal recovery in 2022, and substantial increase to 280,111 in 2023.

India

Steady increase from 88,049 in 2014 to 374,043 in 2019, significant drop to 68,199 in 2020, recovery to 182,091 in 2022, and reaching a peak of 440,415 in 2023.

Japan

Gradual increase from 217,159 in 2014 to 261,666 in 2018, slight decline to 257,959 in 2019, sharp drop to 48,800 in 2020, minimal visitors in 2022.

South Korea

Increase from 145,498 in 2014 to 213,356 in 2019, sharp drop to 42,856 in 2020, recovery to 63,353 in 2022, and a peak of 226,789 in 2023.

Hong Kong

Fluctuated between 35,552 in 2014 and 38,850 in 2018, significant drop to 4,602 in 2019, almost zero visits during the pandemic, and only 6 visitors in 2022.

Taiwan

Fluctuations from 113,132 in 2014 to 124,593 in 2015, slight decline in subsequent years, sharp drop to 18,435 in 2020, minimal visitors in 2022.

The data reveals an overall trend of growth in visitors from American countries to Bali from 2014 to 2019, followed by a dramatic decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. 

The recovery began in 2022 and continued strongly into 2023, with the United States showing the most substantial recovery among the American countries. However, the total number of visitors in 2023 is still below the pre-pandemic peak of 2019.

United States of America

Consistent growth until 2019, significant recovery post-pandemic with a strong increase in 2023.

Canada

Erratic data with significant growth in 2018, followed by a sharp drop in 2020 and partial recovery in 2022.

Other Countries in American Region

Steady growth until 2019, sharp decline in 2020, and partial recovery in 2022.

The data reveals a strong growth trend in visitors from European countries to Bali from 2014 to 2017, followed by a period of fluctuations and a decline in 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a dramatic drop in 2020, but the subsequent years (2022-2023) show a strong recovery, with visitor numbers approaching pre-pandemic levels for some countries. 

Overall, the recovery has been robust, especially from key countries such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

France

Growth from 128,288 in 2014 to 206,941 in 2019. Sharp drop to 29,786 in 2020, significant recovery to 95,510 in 2022, and further increase to 208,253 in 2023.

Germany

Increase from 105,467 in 2014 to 196,774 in 2019. Drop to 29,557 in 2020, recovery to 94,516 in 2022, and reach 195,727 in 2023.

Netherlands

Steady increase from 76,082 in 2014 to 116,330 in 2019. Sharp drop to 22,474 in 2020, partial recovery to 55,730 in 2022.

United Kingdom

Growth from 127,013 in 2014 to 287,201 in 2019. Drop to 47,680 in 2020, recovery to 126,892 in 2022, and 256,359 in 2023.

Russia

Fluctuations from 72,127 in 2014 to 143,211 in 2019. Drop to 57,817 in 2020, minimal change in 2022 with 57,860 visitors.

The data reveals a steady increase in visitors from Oceanian countries to Bali until 2019, followed by a sharp decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Post-pandemic recovery has been robust, with 2023 numbers showing a significant resurgence, particularly driven by Australian visitors. 

The growth rates in 2022 and 2023 reflect strong recovery momentum, with total visitors in 2023 surpassing pre-pandemic levels, indicating a resilient and recovering tourism sector from Oceania to Bali.

Australia

Steady numbers from 988,786 in 2014 to 1,241,128 in 2019. Significant drop to 226,945 in 2020. Recovery to 605,955 in 2022 and further increase to 1,324,410 in 2023.

New Zealand

Fluctuations with a notable rise from 58,142 in 2014 to 132,566 in 2019. Sharp decline to 16,961 in 2020. Recovery to 38,829 in 2022.

Other Countries in Oceania

Small and irregular visitor numbers, with minor peaks in 2016 (82,912) and otherwise minimal contributions.

The data indicates fluctuating trends in tourism from African countries to Bali, with a peak in 2019 followed by a sharp decline due to the pandemic. Post-pandemic recovery has begun but remains below pre-pandemic levels. 

South Africa

Visitor numbers fluctuated, starting from 9,744 in 2014, peaking at 39,772 in 2019, then dropping to 5,803 in 2020. There is no data for 2021 and 2023, with a minor recovery to 9,656 in 2022.

Other African Countries

Visitor numbers began at 8,393 in 2014, with a notable increase to 29,027 in 2019. Dropped significantly to 4,955 in 2020 and then slightly recovered to 7,811 in 2022.

Conclusions

Bali’s tourism sector shows strong resilience and potential for sustained growth, driven by significant contributions from Australia, China, and emerging markets like India.

Bali’s diverse appeal to tourists from Europe, North America, and neighboring Asian countries highlights the importance of catering to varied tourist preferences and maintaining strong international relations.

Continued focus on emerging markets like India and strategic efforts to revive tourism from African countries can further boost Bali’s tourism industry.

As Bali continues to experience a strong recovery and growth in tourism, it’s crucial for villa owners to keep their properties in excellent condition to attract and retain visitors. To ensure your villa stands out and operates efficiently, consider partnering with Bali Management Villas.

Submit your property to us today and let us take care of the operational and marketing management, ensuring your villa is well-maintained and delivering exceptional experiences to guests. 

With our expertise and dedication, we can help maximize your property’s potential and contribute to Bali’s thriving tourism industry.

The data provided in this analysis is based on information available at the time of writing and may not be completely accurate or up-to-date. 

This data should not be relied upon as a definitive source of information and may contain errors or inaccuracies. It is important to verify the information before making any decisions based on it.

Some of the data are not available from the source (Badan Pusat Statistik Bali), especially for the 2021 visitation data because BPS only recorded a total of 51 foreign visitors to Bali without further details.

The figures from the year 2023 are taken from the cumulative data that has been recorded by the BPS on its statistics from the data in December 2023.

Since there is no comprehensive data in 2021 to use as a comparison, the growth rates in 2022 are compared to the data in 2020.