Bali’s ‘Tatasari Baliku’ tourism draft still under debate in provincial council

Denpasar — Bali’s provincial government and local parliament are still debating a draft regional regulation on the governance of “quality” tourism businesses, known by the shorthand Tatasari Baliku, rather than enforcing it as binding law.

The proposal, formally titled the draft Regional Regulation on the Governance of Quality Bali Tourism Businesses, was introduced in the Bali Provincial Council in early April 2026 according to the council secretariat and local media reports. It is framed as part of a broader effort by the provincial administration to promote tourism that is safer, more culturally grounded and more environmentally responsible.

Council documentation shows that the draft was presented by the governor at a plenary meeting and then became the subject of a subsequent session for factional responses, including notes from the Golkar faction. Local coverage describes the concept of “Tatasari Baliku” as being rooted in Balinese philosophical and cultural principles such as Tri Hita Karana and Sad Kerti, which emphasize harmony between people, nature and the divine.

Key areas the draft seeks to regulate

While the complete text of the draft regulation has not been published in full, official and media reports highlight several areas of focus. These include the categorisation of tourism businesses, the management of transport services, the treatment of water-based tourism, and the relationship between operators and regulatory or industry structures.

Council documents describe the initiative as a draft regional regulation on the governance of quality tourism businesses, suggesting that existing categories of tourism services would be reorganised or more tightly defined. Reporting on the council debate indicates that factions have raised questions about how the “quality” label would apply across different segments of Bali’s tourism industry and whether some activities might fall outside the formal categories.

Transport is a prominent theme. Separate coverage of the provincial government’s tourism policy notes that Deputy Governor I Nyoman Giri Prasta has publicly linked the push for “quality tourism” with tighter controls on tourist mobility, in particular steering foreign visitors away from renting motorcycles and toward licensed four-wheel vehicles. According to those reports, the stated goal is to improve safety and reduce traffic violations and accidents involving visitors.

Transport and safety provisions

Media coverage of the draft tourism regulation and related policy discussions reports that the provincial government is increasingly wary of unsafe behaviour by foreign visitors on motorcycles, including traffic violations and accidents on busy roads. In that context, Giri Prasta has said that recommending four-wheel vehicles that meet safety standards is part of ensuring a higher-quality visitor experience and protecting Bali’s image.

These transport provisions sit alongside other regulatory initiatives, such as a separate draft regional regulation on app-based special tourist transport services, which has already cleared the legislative and executive stages and is intended to bring conventional and online operators under a more transparent administrative framework. Taken together, the measures signal an effort to consolidate oversight of how tourists move around the island.

Culture, water and business oversight

Local reporting on the Tatasari Baliku concept stresses that environmental and cultural considerations are integral to the draft tourism-business regulation. In particular, water sources and sacred landscapes are cited as areas that should be protected from overuse or inappropriate forms of tourism, in line with Balinese customary values and the philosophy underpinning the initiative.

The same debate touches on how tourism businesses are supervised. The provincial government has promoted stronger collective oversight mechanisms for operators, including through formal regulatory instruments and sector-specific rules. Officials argue that bringing businesses into structured systems makes it easier for authorities to provide guidance, enforce standards and hold operators accountable when violations occur.

Customary law also plays a role. In discussions of related tourism and transport regulations, Giri Prasta has emphasised that any use of customary sanctions must align with village-level awig-awig, or traditional rules, and remain consistent with national legislation. This reflects a broader balancing act between Bali’s legal obligations under national law and its desire to embed local cultural norms in tourism governance.

As of mid-September 2026, available official council records and media reports describe the Tatasari Baliku regulation as a draft still being processed at the provincial level, with no published confirmation that it has been enacted or has entered into force.

Sources

• Sekretariat DPRD Provinsi Bali – Rapat Paripurna ke-31
• BaliPost – Fraksi Golkar Soroti Moratorium Hotel hingga Transparansi PWA
• WacanaBali – DPRD Bali dan Pemprov Bali Godok Raperda Tata Kelola Usaha Pariwisata Berkualitas
• Detik Bali – Raperda Pariwisata Bali: Sport-Spiritual Tourism-Turis dilarang sewa motor
• Bisnis.com – Bali Wacanakan Aplikasi Khusus Angkutan Pariwisata
• IDN Times Bali – Tim Gabungan Awasi dan Tertibkan Angkutan Sewa Khusus Pariwisata
• JPNN Bali – Wagub Giri Prasta Minta Ojol Segera Ganti KTP Bali dan Pelat DK, Sanksi Menyusul