What happened
Bali will host the New Asia Forum (NAF) on December 3-4, 2026, an international gathering that aims to bring $30 billion of investment into Asia. At an exchange rate of Rp 17,891 to the dollar, that equals about Rp 536.74 trillion. detikFinance reported the plan on October 10, 2026, citing a written statement.
The forum is supported by Danantara, Indonesia's sovereign investment agency, and run by events firm Richard Attias & Associates. Its stated purpose is to connect holders of capital with opportunities that organisers expect to shape the region over the coming decade.
How the forum works
This year NAF describes itself as a global gateway to what it calls New Asia. The guest list targets heads of state, ministers, sovereign investors and chief executives of global companies.
Organisers say the emphasis is on deal readiness, deploying capital and getting investments done. The idea is that due diligence should end in signed commitments rather than open-ended talks.
Eight sectors are on the agenda: strategic resources and downstreaming, which means processing raw materials at home, energy and power, mobility and advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure and AI, food and agribusiness, trade and connectivity, tourism and the creative economy, and education and human capital.
What the organisers said
Organisers argue that global growth is moving towards regions with strong connectivity, technology ambitions and the ability to fund their own expansion. IMF data show Asia-Pacific accounted for almost 60% of global growth in 2025. Yet the region still attracts a relatively small slice of long-term investment capital, the organisers say.
Rosan Roeslani, Indonesia's Minister of Investment and Downstreaming and chief executive of Danantara, said the forum brings patient global money closer to opportunities across Indonesia and the wider region. He invited partners to work with Danantara, which he described as the country's sovereign investor and a founding partner of the event.
Richard Attias, founder and chairman of the organising firm, said the world is entering one of the most important investment cycles of this generation, with Asia at its centre.
Why it matters for Bali
For the island, the forum is first of all a high-level business tourism event. Heads of state, ministers and fund managers arriving in early December will put demand on upscale hotels, transport and event venues.
The agenda matters too. Tourism and the creative economy sit on the priority list next to energy and infrastructure. That puts tourism projects on the table as a target for large, state-level investment.
Keep the target and the outcome separate. The $30 billion is a goal for all of Asia, not signed contracts and not a figure earmarked for Bali. How much money reaches the island's tourism sector will only be clear once concrete agreements are published.
Background
Danantara operates under the patronage of President Prabowo Subianto.
Bali regularly hosts international meetings of this kind. For the local market, the useful signal is not the headline number but which projects secure signed financing and where they will be built.