ICANN87 Brings the Global Internet Community to Nusa Dua on October 17-22
Bali is about to host a meeting most visitors will never see, but one that quietly shapes how the internet works. ICANN87 Bali runs from October 17 to 22, 2026 at the Bali International Convention Centre in Nusa Dua, and it’s the first ICANN Public Meeting ever held in Indonesia.
The short version: ICANN, the organization that coordinates the internet’s domain name system, is holding its 87th public meeting and annual general meeting at The Westin Resort Nusa Dua’s convention centre. It was moved from Muscat, Oman earlier this year. The sessions are free and open to all, but in-person registration closes on October 14 and there is no on-site registration.
What ICANN Is, in Plain English
ICANN is the body that coordinates the unique identifiers that keep the internet working, most visibly domain names. Three times a year it brings its community, from governments and registries to technical experts and businesses, to a public meeting to debate how those systems are run.
Why Bali, and Why Now
ICANN announced on June 2 that the meeting would move from Muscat to Bali, citing “recent developments affecting regional airspace” and a wish to let the meeting proceed as scheduled. ICANN’s Board Chair said the decision “was not taken lightly.” Bali already has experience with global gatherings: ICANN’s announcement notes that the island has hosted the G20 Summit and the 2024 High-Level Forum on Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships.
The local host is PANDI, the registry for .id domains. Its chair, Isnawan, described hosting as an important milestone for Indonesia, and ICANN’s President and CEO, Kurtis Lindqvist, said: “We are excited to bring our global community to Bali for our Annual General Meeting.”
What’s on the Agenda
According to ICANN’s press release, this is the first public meeting since the application window for the 2026 round of new generic top-level domains closed on August 12, with more than 1,600 primary applications received. Expect discussion of the next stages of that round, including what’s known as Reveal Day, when ICANN publishes the public parts of applications and the applied-for strings. The Review of Reviews Cross Community Group will also present recommendations for improving ICANN’s own review processes. Other topics include DNS abuse, enabling a multilingual internet, and turning policy outcomes into effective implementation. The Dr. Tarek Kamel Award for Capacity Building will be presented at the welcome ceremony.
What It Means for Nusa Dua
This is a working conference, not a public festival, so most visitors to Bali won’t notice it. What we can say is that it brings an international professional crowd to the Nusa Dua area for six days, the kind of business-events traffic that Bali’s resort hotels depend on. We can’t tell you how many people will attend: neither ICANN’s announcement nor its press release gives an attendance figure, only that participants will come from around the world.
If you’re staying near Nusa Dua during those dates, it’s reasonable to expect busier hotels and restaurants than usual in the area. That’s our expectation, not a reported fact.
How to Take Part
ICANN says its public meetings are free and open to all. In-person registration is open through October 14, 2026, and there will be no on-site registration, so anyone who wants to attend in person needs to sign up in advance through the ICANN87 meeting website. ICANN’s announcement also notes, as a general statement rather than a forecast for this meeting, that its public meetings typically draw participants from more than 150 countries.
Quick Answers About ICANN87 in Bali
When and where is it? October 17 to 22, 2026, at the Bali International Convention Centre, attached to The Westin Resort Nusa Dua.
Can the public attend? ICANN says its public meetings are free and open to all. In-person registration runs through October 14, with no on-site registration.
Why was it moved from Muscat? ICANN cited regional airspace developments.
Is this the first ICANN meeting in Indonesia? Yes, according to the ICANN87 press release.
The Chimera Villas Take
Events like this are part of a quieter side of Bali’s hospitality story, the business and conference travel that sits alongside leisure tourism. We touched on that when we looked at this year’s Bali Tourism Awards, which recognized properties built around meetings as well as boutique stays. For leisure travelers, the takeaway is simple: Nusa Dua may be busier than usual from October 17 to 22.
