The anticipated tourist levy for travellers to Bali, Indonesia, went into effect on Wednesday.
To protect the unique cultural heritage of the island, the Indonesian government has levied a 150,000 rupiah ($10) fee on visiting visitors. The tax is exclusive to Bali and does not apply to other parts of Indonesia.
Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, the acting governor of Bali, stressed during a ceremony on February 12th that the purpose of this levy is to maintain Bali’s ecology and culture.
Travellers who would rather not pay online may do so with ease by using the LOVE BALI website or mobile app, which offers a simpler payment process. There are also payment kiosks available at different arrival locations, including airports and seaports.
Travellers will be required to submit basic information at the same time, including their arrival date, email address, and passport number. If their payment is approved, they will receive a tax voucher with a QR code that they can use as identification at specific checkpoints at Benoa Harbour or Denpasar Airport.
It should be noted that visitors must pay the tax every time they enter Bali; there is no discount for small visitors.
When the tax was confirmed last year, Governor Wayan Koster gave an explanation. He said that foreign visitors to Bali will only need to pay the price once, online, and that it will apply to both foreign visitors arriving from outside and visitors from other regions of Indonesia. It’s interesting to note that visitors from Indonesia will not be charged this fee.
In response to a question about whether the new levy might discourage tourists from visiting the location, Koster refuted the notion and stated that officials did not anticipate a decline in attendance.
It’s not an issue. Travelling to Bali will be more pleasant and safe since we’ll use it for the environment, culture, and improved infrastructure, he told reporters.
Koster said, “This endeavour necessitates collaboration, involvement, and reciprocal collaboration between the government, regional governments, tourism players, and foreign tourists.”
Bali is also taking harsh measures against unruly tourists in response to a number of instances that featured disrespectful behaviour against the culture of the predominately Hindu island.
Partygoers continue to love Bali, as evidenced by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) estimate of 370,832 visitor arrivals in March 2023—a 14.59% increase from February 2023.
There are several cities across the world that have implemented a tourism tax. Manchester recently became the first city in the UK to implement a tourist tax, requiring guests staying in hotels or vacation rentals in the city centre to pay £1 a night per room. The “City Visitor Charge,” as it is officially known, is intended to generate £3 million annually.
