BADUNG, BALINEWS – Fuel shortages entering their fourth day have disrupted tourism operations across Bali, forcing some travel agencies to cancel tours and struggle to pick up tourists as drivers face difficulties obtaining fuel. Meanwhile, visitor numbers at the Jatiluwih Tourist Attraction in Tabanan Regency have reportedly fallen by more than 30%.
I Putu Winastra, chairman of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) Bali, said long queues at fuel stations had significantly affected the ability of its members to serve tourists. He made the statement in Badung on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
“At first, I was quite optimistic because I did not expect the fuel shortage to continue into its fourth day. However, the prolonged queues have had a significant impact on our members’ ability to manage tourist activities on the ground,” Winastra said.
According to Winastra, difficulties in obtaining fuel, particularly subsidized Pertalite, have forced some tourism operators to change travel itineraries and adjust transportation arrangements for their guests.
Smaller vehicles commonly used for tourist transfers have been among the hardest hit, while larger vehicles have been relatively less affected due to the availability of diesel fuel.
Winastra also revealed that several ASITA members had reported tour cancellations after vehicles carrying tourists became trapped in severe traffic congestion. In some cases, drivers had to turn back, preventing previously scheduled trips from proceeding.
The situation has also attracted attention from overseas tourism partners. Winastra said local tourism operators were working to ensure that the fuel shortage did not create the impression that Bali was experiencing widespread chaos.
“We must continue to reassure our partners that Bali remains safe to visit,” he said.
Nevertheless, Winastra urged Pertamina and the central government to take immediate steps to address the situation and provide transparent information about fuel supplies and distribution.
He stressed that assurances of sufficient fuel stocks should be consistent with conditions on the ground, where long queues remain visible at several gas stations.
“We must not allow claims that fuel stocks are sufficient to contradict the reality of extremely long queues at gas stations. This could create unnecessary public anxiety,” he said.
The impact on tourism was also highlighted by senior tourism practitioner I Ketut Purna, widely known as John Purna. In addition to operating a travel agency, Purna serves as operational manager of the Jatiluwih Tourist Attraction in Tabanan Regency.
Purna said the fuel shortage had disrupted his travel business, with several employees unable to report to work and drivers struggling to pick up tourists because they could not obtain enough fuel.
“As a travel agency operator, I have suffered significant losses. Several of my employees have been unable to come to work because of the fuel shortage. We have also been unable to pick up guests as promised because our drivers do not have enough fuel to operate their vehicles,” Purna said.
He also reported that visitor numbers at Jatiluwih had dropped by more than 30% on Wednesday, October 14. According to him, the decline was largely linked to drivers’ difficulties transporting tourists to the destination because of limited access to fuel.
Purna predicted that the decline could be even greater on Thursday, although this remained an estimate based on his observations of conditions on the ground.
The fuel queues have also affected road traffic and travel times. Purna said he had been forced to take alternative routes when traveling from Renon to Jimbaran to avoid congestion around gas stations.
Instead of using the main roads as usual, he had to navigate smaller streets in the Sesetan area.
He urged the relevant authorities to restore normal fuel distribution as soon as possible to prevent further disruption to Bali’s economy and tourism industry.
“The authorities responsible for this situation must act quickly to restore conditions in Bali. Bali is Indonesia’s international tourism gateway,” he said.
Tourism operators are now calling on the government and Pertamina to resolve the distribution problems so that tourist transportation can return to normal, visitor services can operate without disruption, and tourist arrivals at destinations across Bali can recover.
