The “10 New Balis” aims to duplicate the economic effects of tourism in Bali to 10 new tourism destinations in Indonesia. Group interviews were conducted with Indonesian tourism stakeholders (N = 22) to investigate aspirations, deficits and tensions in these destinations. Findings show that human capital development in regional areas is needed to avoid tensions from top-down, elite-led development, as well as training to achieve sustainable livelihood outcomes. Tourism infrastructure is also needed to support tourism development, but this needs to be balanced by the associated impacts. A framework is put forward for Indonesia’s tourism potential or threat to sustainability.