Official figures published by the Bali Government Tourism Office show that from January to November 2017, Chinese tourists comprised just over 25% of the total number of foreign arrivals to the island, an increase of over 50% from 2016.

New direct flights have been introduced and according to China Daily and XinhuaNet, state-run airline Garuda Indonesia is scheduled to open even more flights linking Bali to Zhengzhou and Xi'an later this month.

But it's not just the tourism industry that is looking to China for support. Bisnis Indonesia is reporting that more Chinese investors are interested in Bali's infrastructure including clean water facilities, harbours and toll roads.

In previous years it was Australians, Singaporeans and Europeans who dominated investments to Bali particularly in hotels and resorts but with little or no interest in the infrastructure needed to support the industry.

Ida Bagus Made Parwata, Head of the Integrated Capital Investment and Licensing board believes the tide has turned since Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika met with the China Development Bank specifically looking for inroads into Chinese investors interested in infrastructure projects.

Naturally enough these projects have a direct impact on Bali's growing tourism industry. Parwata says that there have been many requests around clean water projects, toll roads, hospitals and schools.

One example of one such initiative, slated to to be realized in the near future, is a clean water project in Sungai Unda, Klungkung in East Bali with an investment value estimated to be in the region of IDR 3.6 trillion.  Parwata says the prospective Chinese investor has applied for permits related to the location of water reservoirs and if this is approved clean water will be sold to PDAM (the local water company) to irrigate Klungkung, Gianyar, Denpasar and Badung.

Source: Bisnis Indonesia, Bali Government Tourism Office, China Daily, XinhuaNet

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