Warning to tourists travelling to Bali after cap on how many can visit
An Indonesian tourist hotspot is considering introducing a limit on the number of visitors who can arrive each year.
Bali is looking at schemes to cut down on tourists following a similar move by Amsterdam to clamp down on Brits and other revellers heading to the Dutch capital in search of cheap drink and drugs.
The holiday hotspot has been a favourite with backpackers for years, having earned the name 'Island of the Gods' and treating millions of people to amazing adventures.
But now tourists may have to meet a set criteria before entering the holiday destination as the government looks at imposing restrictions, following a string of controversies.
In February a tourist sparked outrage after mooning on top of a sacred mountain, Mount Agung, appalling locals in the process. The unnamed Russian man dropped his trousers and pants to pose for a photo atop the revered stony outcrop.
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Bali is often called 'the island of the gods' (Getty Images)Last year, Canadian actor Jeffrey Douglas Craigen also spread fury when a a video of him dancing naked on Mount Batur went viral. Another visitor was seen screaming and lunging at security officers outside a religious ritual in a separate clip.
The following month, Russian yoga influencer Alina Fazleeva landed herself in hot water after posing naked at a 700-year-old sacred tree in Bali.
A group of tourists decided to file an official complaint about roosters crowing at dawn - angering locals who rely on the poultry to make a living.
Bali is now looking into imposing a cap of just seven million tourists a year, and visitors may have to prove they have enough funds to support themselves during their stay.
The island - home to 4.3 million people - saw 6.3 million visitors in 2019, the year before the pandemic - up from just 2.2 million a decade before.
The rise in footfall has caused increased congestion, traffic violations and mountains of rubbish - putting a strain on locals.
The island's governor Wayan Koster told local media: "These foreigners are very arrogant but I am not anti-foreigners. A comprehensive evaluation is necessary to regulate the entry of foreign tourists.
Jeffrey Douglas Craigen sparked outrage after a video of him dancing naked on Mount Batur went viral (Jam Press)"For instance, there might be a consideration of a limit of seven million individuals based on certain criteria. Now in the future we will calculate not this level of tourism but quality tourism.
"This is to maintain Balinese culture and local wisdom which must be dignified.
The island recently banned tourists from driving mopeds following a spate of anti-social behaviour and crashes that left a number of people badly injured.
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Soon Western visitors to the island will be given a 'guidebook' with instructions on how to dress and act while visiting the holiday hotspot.
Head of Bali's Regional Office of Ministry of Law and Human Rights Anggiat Napitupulu has announced plans for a 'good tourist guidebook'.
The book will include an introduction to Balinese culture and customs, as well as a guide to the island's road rules.
The latter may be particularly useful for the many visitors who decide to ignore the advice of their parents and hire a moped to whizz around Bali.
The planned crackdown comes just months after Amsterdam announced plans to clamp down on rowdy British tourists, with the city's council warning rowdy British sex and drug tourists to "stay away" in a campaign.
The Dutch city launched the digital campaign to target men aged 18 to 35 from the UK after locals grew tired of the disruption caused by visitors looking for a good time in the loose moral capital of northern Europe.
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