- Per BPS Bali on 1 October 2026, 685,994 foreigners arrived on the island in August (−1.69 percent on July, +0.46 percent on August 2025), cumulative January–August 4,586,959 (−1.62 percent year on year). The market is on a plateau slightly below the 2025 level.
- A geographic shift: France 41,937 arrivals (+20.42 percent) overtook India in the top three for the first time, Europe overall 220,047 (+4.92 percent, the strongest region), while the leading Australia 161,258 (−7.61 percent), though it remains number one with a 23.51 percent share of the flow.
- BPS links the French surge to a hot European summer and the holiday peak. For a villa owner this is not abstract statistics but a hint about which market and season to tune the price and listing to.
- The operational takeaway: build the price and occupancy calendar around the seasons of source countries rather than one averaged chart, match the listing and channels to geography, and the booking length to the segment.
A rental villa's yield is not only the property and the management, it is also where and when guests come from. In 2026 Bali's demand map shifted: the leading Australia dipped, while Europe and France in particular grew. This is not abstract statistics but a direct hint about which market and season to tune the price, listing and channels to. We read the fresh BPS data for August 2026 and turn it into an owner's operational decisions.
What August 2026 showed
On 1 October 2026 the statistics office BPS Bali published its monthly tourism release for August. The head of the office, Agus Gede Hendrayana Hermawan, gave these figures.
| Indicator | August 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Total foreign arrivals | 685,994 | −1.69% on July, +0.46% on August 2025 |
| Cumulative January–August | 4,586,959 | −1.62% year on year |
| Australia | 161,258 | −7.61%, 23.51% share |
| China | 47,613 | second place |
| France | 41,937 | +20.42%, overtook India |
| India | 34,837 | dropped to fourth |
| United Kingdom | 32,928 | fifth place |
| Europe overall | 220,047 | +4.92%, the strongest region |
The key figure is not the overall total but the structure. The market as a whole is on a plateau slightly below the 2025 level. But within that plateau demand is redistributing: Australia, the number one market for many years, is losing ground, while Europe is gaining. France entered the top three for the first time, overtaking India.
Why demand shifted
BPS links the French surge to an unusually hot European summer and the peak of summer holidays: in August many Europeans chose Bali. This also explains Europe's overall growth of 4.92 percent. What matters is that the European and Australian flows have different calendars. Australia travels on its school holidays (June–July and December–January), Europe peaks in July–August. When the European share grows, the island's occupancy seasonality shifts with it.
The market is on a plateau, but demand within it flows. An owner who sees only the overall total misses the main thing: source countries' peaks do not coincide, and the pricing calendar is built on that.
What a villa owner should do
Statistics become money when they turn into four operational decisions.
- A pricing calendar by market, not one average tariff. If the European share grows, the July–August peaks strengthen, and the rate on those dates is raised ahead of time. Australian holidays (June–July, December–January) set their own peaks. A flat tariff loses on peaks and sits idle in troughs. The mechanics are in dynamic villa pricing.
- Listing and auto-reply language by geography. The rising French and European flow means a listing and quick replies in English and key European languages raise conversion with the growing segment. Who your guest is and which channels they search on is covered in Bali guests: who your client is.
- Channels by segment. Australians and Europeans are distributed differently across Airbnb, Booking and direct bookings. Diversifying channels reduces dependence on one platform and one market, which matters especially against the delisting of illegal properties.
- Booking length by segment. A European holidaymaker and a long-term relocant are different occupancy strategies. Whether nightly or a long stay is more profitable depends on the season and segment, covered in long-stay or nightly.
Where to get data and why BPS
Monthly releases on arrivals and occupancy are published by BPS Bali on its website, usually at the start of the month after next. These figures matter more than advertising percentages in presentations: they show the real flow and its structure by country. An occupancy calculation built on BPS data and on the DUVI index is more robust than a brochure's promise of 80 percent. At DOMA we reconcile our calculations this way, and the full map from choice to rental is in the Bali investor roadmap.
Bottom line: August 2026 showed that Bali's market holds a plateau slightly below the 2025 level, but demand within it flows: France added 20.42 percent and overtook India for the first time, Europe grew 4.92 percent, while the leading Australia dipped 7.61 percent. For a villa owner this is four decisions: a pricing calendar by source countries' seasons, listing language by geography, channel diversification and booking length by segment. Yield is not a property of walls but the result of how precisely you hit demand. If you would like us to review a rental strategy for a specific property, write to us.
This material is for information only and is not investment advice. Arrivals data is given per the BPS Bali release for August 2026. The structure of demand changes, reconcile an occupancy calculation against current statistics before a decision.
Sources: ANTARA, 01.10.2026 (BPS Bali release for August 2026: arrivals, top-5 countries, France and Europe, BPS head Agus Gede Hendrayana Hermawan), ANTARA Bali, 01.10.2026, the DUVI index (issue 1, July 2026), DOMA calculation practice 2024–2026.
FAQ
How many tourists came to Bali in August 2026?
Per BPS Bali on 1 October 2026, 685,994 foreigners arrived in August, 1.69 percent fewer than July and 0.46 percent more than August 2025. Cumulatively for January–August 2026 there were 4,586,959 arrivals, 1.62 percent fewer than the same period of 2025. The market is on a plateau slightly below last year's level.
Which countries lead arrivals to Bali?
In August 2026 the top three are: Australia 161,258 (23.51 percent of the whole flow), China 47,613, France 41,937. India at 34,837 dropped to fourth, the United Kingdom 32,928 to fifth. France added 20.42 percent and overtook India for the first time, while Australia, still the leader, dipped 7.61 percent.
Why did the flow from France and Europe grow?
BPS links the surge to an unusually hot European summer and the peak of summer holidays: in August 2026 Europe produced 220,047 arrivals, up 4.92 percent, the strongest among regions. The European guest usually has a different calendar (a July–August peak) and a different brief than the Australian one, which affects the seasonality of your occupancy.
The Australian market is falling, is that a problem for a villa?
Australia remains Bali's number one market with a share of about 23.5 percent, but in August 2026 it dipped 7.61 percent. This is not a collapse but a signal not to build the case on one market. Diversifying by geography and channels reduces dependence on one country's school holidays and currency. How to calculate yield on market occupancy is covered separately.
How does the demand shift affect the rental price?
Directly. If the European flow with a July–August peak is rising and the Australian one is dipping, the dynamic pricing calendar should shift to those seasons rather than hold one average rate. Source countries' demand peaks do not coincide, and an owner who builds the price on a market calendar earns more than one who sets a flat tariff.
Do I need to translate the listing into several languages?
Yes, if you target growing geographies. The rising French and European flow means a listing and auto-replies in English and key European languages, plus a presence on channels popular with Europeans, raise conversion. The guest profile and channels by segment are covered in a separate article.
Where do I get fresh arrivals data?
BPS Bali publishes monthly releases at bali.bps.go.id, usually at the start of the month after next. These figures matter more than advertising: they show the real flow and the structure of demand by country on which an occupancy calculation rests. At DOMA we reconcile our calculations against BPS, not against presentations.