Bali is considering imposing a daily tax on foreign tourists. This policy is inspired by Bhutan, which has successfully implemented a similar system.
The goal of this daily tax is to attract high-quality tourists, which is expected to improve the overall quality of tourism on the Island of the Gods.
Puspa Negara, Head of the Bali Marginal Tourism Sector Alliance, stated that Bali needs to adopt an approach similar to Bhutan’s, which is selective in choosing its tourists.
As reported by CNN Indonesia, he mentioned that it is time for Bali to shift toward quality tourism by improving its destination offerings and human resources, an initiative that can be supported by local government policies.
Broad Official Support
Bali’s Governor, Wayan Koster, supports this plan and hopes that the policy can help control the number of tourists arriving each year, in response to the surge in tourists that has become a challenge for the island.
In fact, Indonesia’s former Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, had previously discussed the possibility of adopting a similar tourism model in Bali.
Recently, Bali Senator Ni Luh Djelantik also urged Indonesian leaders to emulate Bhutan’s sustainable and controlled tourism model.
Since September 2022, Bhutan has imposed a daily tax of USD 100 (around IDR 1.6 million) per tourist, known as the Sustainable Development Fee.
Bali itself recorded 6.3 million international tourist arrivals last year, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers. This year, Bali is targeting 6.5 million international arrivals.
In October, Bali was also selected as the most beautiful island in Asia by CN Traveler readers in the Reader’s Choice Awards.
Ongoing Tourist Tax in Bali
The Head of the Bali Provincial Tourism Office, Tjokorda Bagus Pemayun, also responded to a proposal from the Indonesian House of Representatives to impose a tax on foreign nationals entering Indonesia for tourism. Currently, Bali already has a similar policy called the Foreign Tourist Levy.
As reported by Tirto.id, Pemayun said, “The basis for charging this levy is found in Law No. 15 of 2023 concerning the Province of Bali, specifically in Article 8, which states that the Bali Provincial Government can levy foreign nationals through this tourist tax.”
This regulation was further implemented into a Regional Regulation No. 6 of 2023 on Levies for Foreign Tourists to Protect Bali’s Culture and Natural Environment.
The mechanism for this levy is governed by the Governor’s Regulation No. 2 of 2024 on Procedures for Payment of Levies for Foreign Tourists. Both regulations have been in effect since February 14, 2024.
Since February 2024, every foreign tourist visiting Bali for tourism purposes is charged a fee of IDR 150,000. This levy aims to protect Bali’s culture, customs, and natural environment, as well as improve tourism management quality.
However, the Bali Provincial Government is still unsure about the specifics of the proposal regarding foreign tourist tax. Therefore, the Bali Tourism Office plans to continue optimizing the Foreign Tourist Levy and conduct evaluations of this policy’s implementation.
Previously, Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives’ Commission VII, Saleh Partaonan Daulay, urged ratification of Indonesia’s Tourism Bill, which includes provisions for taxes on international tourists visiting destinations in Indonesia.
“This policy could boost state revenue and promote a more sustainable tourism sector.” Daulay concluded.
Sources: CNN Indonesia, Tirto.id.
Feat image: via AntaraNews//Fikri Yusuf