Buying a Bali villa? Read occupancy figures before reading the return

Start with the right comparison

BPS Bali’s July 2026 tourism release, published on 1 September, reports room occupancy of 67.29% for star-rated hotels and 42.53% for non-star hotels and other accommodation. Those are different statistical groups, covering a province and a specific month. They are not a forecast for a villa in Canggu, Uluwatu or elsewhere. Our practical takeaway: ask which accommodation category, location and period a sales presentation is using before accepting its benchmark. A province-wide statistic cannot establish what one property will earn.

BPS Bali — July 2026 tourism release (published 1 September 2026) ↗

Ask what the percentage counts

BPS defines room occupancy as occupied room nights divided by available room nights, expressed as a percentage. When reviewing a villa operator’s report, ask whether it counts rooms or whole-villa nights and how it treats owner stays, maintenance closures, complimentary stays and cancellations. Two reports can show similar occupancy while using different denominators. Request the occupied nights and available nights alongside the percentage, with the counting method written down. The BPS definition is the statistical reference; the questions about operating reports are our due-diligence recommendations.

BPS — explanation of the room occupancy indicator ↗

Look across a year, not a highlight month

BPS Bali’s annual accommodation publication for 2025 covers occupancy and length of stay across star and non-star hotels, including domestic and foreign guests. It is a useful place to understand the scope of the official data. For a particular villa, request monthly operating records for a complete year where available, rather than a screenshot from its busiest period. Keep the opening date and any closure periods visible. If the property is new or off-plan, separate comparable-property evidence from the operator’s assumptions; it has no operating history of its own yet.

BPS Bali — accommodation occupancy publication for 2025 (released July 2026) ↗

Follow bookings through to money received

An occupied night does not tell you the amount collected. Ask for booking records that reconcile with receipts, showing discounts, refunds, platform charges and management deductions. Keep gross booking value, operating income and cash available to the owner separate. Request a cost schedule covering staffing, utilities, cleaning, maintenance and a reserve for replacements. Financing, taxes and the acquisition structure need their own assessment. These are records to investigate, not assumed costs or a promise that a particular level of occupancy will produce a profit.

Build a comparison you can explain

For each shortlisted property, record the reporting period, rental unit, available nights, paid occupied nights, realised nightly rate and the costs included in the presentation. Flag each entry as supported by operating records, drawn from a comparable property or assumed for a scenario. Test changes in both demand and expenses instead of copying a headline return into your budget. For leasehold property, include the remaining contractual term in the discussion and have an adviser review the actual agreement rather than assuming an extension.

Bring a clearer brief to the first conversation

Tell Vivo Asia the area you are considering, whether the property will also be your home and how involved you want to be in its operation. We can start the conversation around the evidence you have and the information still needed. This is a guide to evaluating a potential purchase, not a property listing, valuation or forecast of returns. Any property’s availability, terms and suitability must be assessed separately.