**Visitors to Penglipuran Tourism Village Increase 42 Percent During Galungan
Denpasar (ANTARA) – Visitors to Penglipuran Tourism Village, Bangli, reportedly increased 42 percent during this year’s Galungan holiday compared to six months ago.
Head of Penglipuran Tourism Village Management, Wayan Sumiarsa, said in Denpasar on Friday that this increase was driven by the high interest of domestic and international tourists in witnessing the religious ceremonies performed by the village residents during Galungan.
“There was a 42 percent increase overall compared to last Galungan, with foreign tourists increasing by 15 percent and domestic tourists by 40 percent,” he said.
The peak number of visits for Galungan on Wednesday (April 23) was over 5,000 people, compared to around 2,000 during the same holiday previously.
Wayan Sumiarsa also stated that this figure is an increase from the normal daily average of 3,000 visits throughout April.
“The village atmosphere, decorated with penjors (traditional lanterns), is eagerly awaited by both international and domestic tourists, so they want to experience the Galungan holiday atmosphere,” said Wayan Sumiarsa.
Furthermore, at the peak of the festival, the indigenous people of Penglipuran Tourism Village also perform a series of Ngerebeg (Ngerebeg) ceremonies, a tradition performed around the village, open to visitors.
The management believes that the innovations of the younger generation in creating beautiful penjors, attractively packaged attractions, and the utilization of village spaces such as the bamboo forest are all attractive factors, leading to a surge in visits during this holiday.
Aware of this potential, the villagers are working together to promote tourism while preserving tradition and culture.
This opportunity for tourist visits is also being utilized by not only providing visitors with the opportunity to watch religious ceremonies at the peak of Galungan but also by the village’s young generation holding Ngelawang (traveling barong) performances.
This unique performance, held every Galungan and Kuningan, attracts not only tourists from outside Bali but also Balinese residents. Management observed that 50 percent of visitors on Thursday (May 24th) were Balinese celebrating Umanis Galungan.
Wayan Sumiarsa predicts that visits to Penglipuran Tourism Village will gradually increase, even after Kuningan Day on Saturday, May 3, 2025, as Bali will enter the study tourism period.
“School children from outside Bali have already started coming to Penglipuran to learn about cultural traditions. According to travel agencies, we expect high numbers until May,” he said.