Long- delayed project to build second airport in Bali revived

President Prabowo said to be fully behind plan for facility in the north of resort island

- Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja

Indonesia's resort island of Bali is set to have a second international airport, with the long-delayed project now being revived under the new administration of President Prabowo Subianto.

A politician from ruling party Gerindra told The Sunday Times on Oct 21 that the newly inaugurated president is fully on board with the project. "Pak Prabowo wants this project supported," he said, declining to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The second airport will be located in the north of Bali, in the Kubutambahan district in Buleleng regency - some two hours by road from Bali's capital city of Denpasar - and is intended to ease congestion at the existing Gusti Ngurah Rai airport and overcrowding around tourist hot spots like Kuta, Seminyak and Canggu in the south.

About 15.5 million visitors flocked to Bali in 2023, close to the level in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic years, when tourism around the world practically ground to a halt.