Foreign tourists visiting Bali will now have to pay a 150,000 rupiah (£7.60; $9.60) levy to enter the popular tourist destination.
The Indonesian authorities have implemented this fee in an effort to protect the environment and culture of the island.
Bali is renowned for its pristine beaches, stunning landscapes, and world-class surfing waves, making it one of the most sought-after travel destinations globally. Data from official sources indicates that nearly 4.8 million tourists visited Bali between January and November of the previous year.
The tourist tax, which was initially announced last year, officially took effect on Valentine’s Day. The levy only applies to foreign tourists entering the province from abroad or other parts of Indonesia, with domestic Indonesian tourists being exempt from the fee. Tourists are encouraged to pay the levy prior to their arrival through the Love Bali website.
Before the pandemic, tourism accounted for approximately 60% of Bali’s annual GDP. In November 2023, Australia was the largest contributor of foreign tourists to Bali, with more than 100,000 arrivals, followed by India, China, and Singapore.
While Bali’s tourism industry has brought economic benefits to the island, there have been instances of misbehavior by tourists that have upset the local population in recent years. These incidents include a Russian man being deported for stripping off on a sacred site, plans to ban foreign tourists from using motorbikes due to traffic law violations, and a viral video of a Russian couple engaging in indecent behavior on another holy site.
The announcement of the tourist levy came on the same day that millions of Indonesians participated in the presidential and legislative elections. More than 200 million people across Indonesia’s 17,000 islands and three time zones were eligible to vote in the elections.
The Indonesian government’s decision to impose a tourist levy reflects its commitment to preserving Bali’s environment and culture, as well as addressing the negative impact of tourism-related misbehavior. It remains to be seen how this levy will affect Bali’s tourism industry and whether it will achieve its intended purpose of protecting the island’s unique natural and cultural heritage.
