Bali Braces for a Russian Influx as Thailand Tightens Visa Rules

A shift in visa policy by Thailand could send more Russian travelers to Bali this winter. The Indonesian island’s hotel and restaurant association says it’s ready to welcome them. Thailand recently announced it’s rolling back its 60-day visa-free stay for citizens of over 90 countries, including Russia, returning to a maximum of 30 days. The change, set to take effect once official documents are published, reverses a looser policy introduced in 2024. For Russians who typically spend months in Southeast Asia escaping the cold, that shorter window makes Thailand less appealing. Bali, by contrast, offers longer legal stays and has been actively courting visitors who settle in for months at a time. The Bali chapter of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRI) told RIA Novosti that the island wants tourists who stay legally, spend steadily, and keep hotels, villas, and restaurants busy. With Thailand’s new limits, some of those long-stay travelers may shift their plans. Bali’s tourism sector is already seeing early signs of interest. While no official numbers have been released, industry leaders expect a noticeable uptick in Russian arrivals as the next winter season approaches. For Bali, it’s a chance to attract a demographic that spends more and stays longer—exactly the kind of visitor the island has been trying to attract.