Bali to slap US$10 tax on foreign tourists to protect environment, culture
- The one-time fee will have to be paid electronically and will apply to visitors entering the island from abroad or from other parts of Indonesia
- Tourist-dependent Bali is trying to capitalise on its popularity to boost its coffers and preserve its tropical allure
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The Indonesian resort haven of Bali will impose a 150,000 rupiah (US$10) tax on tourists entering the “Island of Gods” from next year to preserve its culture, officials said on Wednesday.
Tourist-dependent Bali attracts millions of foreign visitors annually and the beach-dotted island is trying to capitalise on its popularity to boost its coffers and protect its tropical allure.
“The payment of a fee for foreign tourists applies only one time during their visit to Bali,” Governor I Wayan Koster told local lawmakers.
The fee will have to be paid electronically and will apply to foreign tourists entering Bali from abroad or from other parts of Indonesia, he said.
The levy will not apply to domestic Indonesian tourists.
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More than two million tourists visited the island last year, according to official figures, as Bali rebounded from the Covid-19 pandemic after imposing a zero-tolerance policy on rule-breakers.
When asked if the new tax would deter visitors, Koster said authorities did not believe numbers would dip.
“It’s not a problem. We will use it for the environment, culture and we will build better quality infrastructure so travelling to Bali will be more comfortable and safe,” he told reporters.
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Bali issues tourism dos and don’ts list in wake of scandals involving unruly visitors
In June, the local government published a guide for tourists who wish to visit Bali after being pressed to do so by the island’s immigration office.
