Indonesia is developing a new marina at Benoa Port in Bali as part of a wider push to attract higher-spending international visitors, with the country’s coordinating minister for infrastructure and regional development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, inspecting the site in Denpasar on July 21.
Yudhoyono said the global cruise and yacht tourism market is expanding by around 7.5% a year, and that Indonesia wants a larger share of that growth. “Domestic tourism continues to grow, but we also want international visitors, especially high-spending travellers seeking Bali’s nature, culture and shopping,” he said. He added that some visitors do not stay for weeks or months but for years, continuing to spend on goods and services and generating sustained economic benefits for the local economy.
The Benoa Port marina, part of the wider Bali Maritime Tourism Hub, is scheduled for completion in 2028. Once finished, it will accommodate up to 188 yachts, including superyachts and megayachts, while the port itself will be expanded to handle five large cruise ships at once. Plans include modern water and electricity utilities, advanced docking facilities, and surrounding entertainment venues, shopping areas and green public spaces designed to extend visitor stays beyond the marina itself.
The project is being delivered by state port operator Pelindo, through subsidiary PT Pelindo Solusi Logistik, alongside PT Marina Development Indonesia, following a groundbreaking ceremony in May 2025. According to Pelindo’s director of strategy, Prasetyo, total investment in the marina and its supporting infrastructure stands at IDR1,600bn ($98mn), covering both on-site marina facilities and foundational works such as dredging, navigation channels and utilities. Funding combines state capital investment with Pelindo’s internal capital.
Indonesia’s deputy minister of tourism, Ni Luh Puspa, has described the Benoa marina as more than an infrastructure project, framing it as a catalyst for a wider national marina network spanning Sabang, Raja Ampat, Labuan Bajo and Morotai, with the aim of positioning Indonesia as a leading global yachting destination. Officials have said the marina is being built to international standards, benchmarked against established yachting hubs such as Monaco and the south of France, with plans for partnerships with international marina networks once operational.
Bali’s provincial government has also backed the project, with local leaders framing it as a driver of sustainable, higher-value tourism and improved integrated sea transport across the island, rather than a simple expansion of visitor volume.
The push for maritime tourism investment comes as Bali’s authorities face growing pressure to manage overtourism at existing attractions, with the marina positioned as a way of channelling high-spending travellers toward a more controlled, premium segment of the market rather than adding further strain to the island’s most visited sites.