Grim warning for Aussies as big tourist 'issue' could soon hit Bali: ‘A great shame’

It's a "distinct possibility" that locals living in global traveller hotspots "could soon start to express their frustrations with soaring tourism rates" and try to boot them out, a leading Aussie travel expert warned.

Quentin Long, Managing Director at Australian Traveller Media, said after thousands attended protests in Barcelona in opposition of mass tourism — which locals argue has forced Spanish people out of the housing market — there's every chance similar events could occur at other popular destinations. He said in particular, we could soon see an uprising in Bali, right on Australia's doorstep.

This week Indonesia's Minister for Tourism and Creative Economies, Sandiaga Uno, gave his views on the likelihood of Balinese locals protesting against tourism, similar to what took place in Spain. “Things like that should not happen in Bali," he reportedly told media. "Because if people feel uncomfortable with the presence of tourists, bad excesses emerge. In fact, tourism is one of the economic drivers in Bali."

Bali locals experiencing 'disrespectful behaviour' from tourists

But according to Long, just because locals have been encouraged not to rally, doesn't mean they won't. The island has, historically, copped a battering from badly behaved tourists, and authorities have rolled out a number of ideas over the years to combat the problem.

"There's been a lot of disrespectful behaviour in Bali," Long told Yahoo News Australia. "You get people not being dressed appropriately in temples or taking inappropriate selfies, having too many cocktails and being basically drunk and treating locals disrespectfully. Driving while intoxicated on mopeds, you name it, it happens in Bali.

Previously, Yahoo News has reported on tourists behaving badly and disrespecting local customs as authorities desperately try to crack down on unruly travellers.

There have been reports of travellers climbing sacred trees and wearing inappropriate clothing, making locals uncomfortable in a country that's quite modest. As well as drunk and disorderly behaviour, including fights, and even a rise in general waste.

"I think there's a distinct possibility that locals could start to express their frustrations with tourists directly and start to indicate that they would prefer tourists to do different things, or go somewhere else.

"And I don't think it's just targeting Australians," he added. "I hope it doesn't happen, but it is definitely possible."

• Notorious tax Aussies want to introduce

• European city's unique solution to big tourist burden

• Aussie’s warning to tourists as locals in Spanish city hit ‘breaking point’

Other countries already taken action against tourists

Long said we're already beginning to see some countries implement actions to reduce soaring tourism rates. In Venice in Italy, day visitors were subject to a recent trial in which they paid an $8 entry fee during peak hours in a bid to preserve the city from overcrowding. In Bali, travellers are required to pay a $14 tourist tax on arrival.

In Amsterdam, cruise ships have been stopped from entering local waters. Even in Australia we've toyed with the idea of our very own tourist tax — although that proposal didn't eventuate into anything concrete.

"It's a global issue, it's not just Bali and Barcelona," Long said. "There's all sorts of different ways that [countries have been trying to combat mass tourism] but it's going to have to be government-led, because if they don't act, their citizens will act."

Long theorised there's two scenarios that'll likely now play out.

"In my opinion, the logical conclusion is that we have two possible routes here: One is that you have finances dictate travel — so those destinations become only affordable to the elite — which would be a great shame," he said.

"And the second way is to actually enter a lottery where only certain people are given permission. And it's a lottery-based mechanism. But neither of those situations are ideal."

On an individual level, "we all need to make individual choices about what we do, where we go, and how we spend our money", Long said. "Just be educated about what you're doing when you're going".

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.