Not all stories about tourism in Bali bring happy news like in the film Eat, Pray and Love. On social media, we often see “disturbing” videos of foreign tourists, ranging from traffic violations, disruptive behavior, to inappropriate conduct at sacred sites respected by local communities.
What is more painful is that many of them claim they “did not know” or “thought it was not a problem.” Yet Bali is not a free stage; it is home to millions of people who live by tradition, spirituality, and respect for their ancestors. Ignorance is no longer an excuse when information is available at every corner of airports, hotels, and village notice boards.
Facts show that many foreign tourists have been deported from Bali for violating social norms and laws. Some of them were even found working illegally or involved in international criminal networks.
This issue becomes a trigger for tourismophobia and will be a growing challenge in the future. Tourismophobia is becoming an inseparable part of tourism growth. Society responds naturally to the negative impacts of overtourism due to environmental and cultural pressure that leads to cultural commodification and environmental damage. In addition, economic inequality caused by the dominance of foreign corporate investment further fuels resistance from local communities.
However, tourismophobia is not something that cannot be managed properly.
Although tourismophobia emerges alongside tourism growth, this phenomenon is not an inevitable consequence. With proper management, negative impacts can be minimized so that tourism continues to provide benefits without triggering conflict.
A sustainable tourism model needs to be encouraged by the government by prioritizing quality over quantity. In parallel, destination diversification by redirecting tourists to less popular destinations such as Wakatobi, Lake Toba, or Sabang can reduce pressure on Bali, Labuan Bajo, and Yogyakarta, while also distributing economic benefits to other regions. Thus, the tourism tax policy in Bali that is already in place can become an initial step to support environmental and cultural preservation funding while also boosting local economic development.
The next crucial point is the role of Immigration in preventing tourismophobia in Indonesia.
The Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, as the holder of immigration authority, has the power to regulate the entry of foreign tourists, monitor their behavior during their stay in Indonesia, and enforce regulations that can reduce the negative impacts of overtourism through stricter entry screening, implementation of tourist quota policies, enforcement of rules against tourist behavior, and education of tourists at entry points in collaboration with local governments and local communities.
With these authorities, the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections automatically helps reduce tourist behavior that triggers cultural norm violations or environmental damage, while also maintaining harmony with local communities in facing overtourism pressures.
When tourism is well managed, it not only attracts visitors but also maintains harmony with society. This becomes the key to creating a balance between attracting tourists and protecting local communities, thereby minimizing the phenomenon of tourismophobia.
The author is Special Staff to the Minister of Immigration and Corrections for Communication and Media
