DENPASAR — The Bali Provincial Government is continuing to improve services at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport to strengthen Bali’s readiness as a leading destination for international tourism and business events.
Faster arrival processing, baggage collection, immigration clearance and upgraded passenger facilities are expected to provide a smoother arrival experience for delegates attending international conferences, incentive programmes, exhibitions and corporate meetings.
“Travellers arriving from Europe, the Middle East, Russia, North America, Latin America and South Africa may have spent more than 10 hours in flight before reaching Bali. After such a long journey, they naturally expect efficient immigration and customs clearance, as well as prompt baggage collection, so that they can reach their hotels and rest as quickly as possible.”
Faster Processing for a Smoother Arrival
Bali Governor Wayan Koster chaired a coordination meeting on 15 August 2026 involving all agencies responsible for passenger services at the airport. The meeting followed earlier evaluations conducted on 23 August and 28 December 2025, after passengers raised concerns about lengthy baggage collection times, immigration queues and customs processing.
The latest evaluation indicates significant improvements in the arrival process. Baggage waiting times for narrow-body and smaller aircraft have been reduced to 13–30 minutes, while wide-body aircraft operating with high passenger loads now record waiting times of 18–40 minutes.
For international business event planners, more predictable arrival times provide a stronger operational basis for arranging airport transfers, meet-and-greet services, hospitality desks and onward transportation to hotels and event venues.
Upgrading Infrastructure and Passenger Facilities
Immigration processing has also been accelerated through the wider use of autogates and electronic passports. The system is helping to improve the flow of international arrivals, although passengers from certain countries travelling on ordinary passports continue to undergo conventional immigration procedures in accordance with prevailing regulations.
The airport is also upgrading its passenger facilities, including the replacement of older toilets, additional seating and furniture, improved cleanliness and lighting, and increased frontline staffing. These improvements are particularly relevant to business event organisers managing large groups arriving within a relatively short period, including conference delegates, incentive groups, exhibition participants and corporate guests.
A Critical Gateway for Global Delegates
For international event planners, improved airport performance is an important component of destination readiness. More predictable processing times can help professional conference organisers (PCOs), destination management companies (DMCs) and meeting planners coordinate vehicle allocations, group transfers, airport hospitality, registration support and delegate movements more efficiently.
Ngurah Rai International Airport remains a critical gateway for Bali’s international business events sector. In 2025, the airport handled approximately 7.05 million international visitors, representing 45.8 per cent of Indonesia’s total 15.39 million international tourist arrivals, as well as more than 9 million domestic passengers.
The Bali Provincial Government will continue to review and improve airport services through regular coordination among the relevant agencies. For the international business events market, these improvements strengthen Bali’s competitiveness as a destination offering not only high-quality accommodation and event venues, but also increasingly efficient international arrival infrastructure.
Welcoming Long-Haul MICE Delegates
BaliCEB Chairman Dr Ketut Jaman welcomed the Governor’s commitment to improving passenger services at Ngurah Rai International Airport. He said efficient arrival procedures are particularly important for international business event delegates travelling to Bali from long-haul markets.
He added that a seamless arrival experience is an important part of the overall delegate journey and can influence how international visitors perceive Bali from the moment they enter the destination.
(BaliCEB Media Team)