Wed Feb 26 05:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Bali Businesses Crack Down on “Cheap” Backpackers
**Denpasar, Bali** – A growing conflict is brewing in Bali between local businesses and budget-conscious backpackers. Small business owners are complaining that some visitors occupy restaurant and cafe spaces for extended periods, consuming only inexpensive drinks while preventing paying customers from accessing services. This, they say, is impacting their profits.
The issue has prompted calls for authorities to implement measures that prioritize higher-spending tourists. Ibu Parubaya, owner of a fish restaurant, recounted an incident where she ejected backpackers who had occupied a table for hours after purchasing only a single iced tea. “It’s blocking other customers,” she stated, adding that such behavior should be expected to result in removal from establishments.
Wayan Puspa Negara, head of the Bali Marginal Tourism Actors Alliance, echoed these concerns, citing examples of backpackers haggling aggressively with vendors and using business premises to consume food bought elsewhere. He suggested Bali could learn from Bhutan’s tourism model, which controls the number of foreign visitors to maintain a higher quality of tourism. The ongoing tension highlights a growing debate in Bali over balancing accessibility with the economic needs of local businesses.
First Piper 