The Bali tourism levy will undergo further adjustments on 26th March 2024. The Bali Tourism Office has noted that as of March 2024, only 40% of foreign tourists have been paying the tourism levy of IDR 150,000, since its introduction on 14th February 2024.
“Since the implementation of the foreign tourist levy, we have observed an average of 5,000 foreign tourists paying per day,” stated Tjok Bagus Pemayun, Head of the Bali Tourism Office, in Denpasar, as reported by Antara on Wednesday, 20th March 2024.
On 26th March 2024, the Tourism Office will inspect various tourist attractions in Bali, including Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, Ulun Danu Beratan, and Tampaksiring. According to data from the Department of Tourism as of 18th March 2024, 219,466 foreign tourists have paid the Bali tourism levy, generating a total revenue of IDR 32,919,900,000 billion for the Bali government.
Tjok Bagus Pemayun emphasized that the total revenue should exceed this figure. The inspections aim to ensure that all foreign tourists visiting Bali have paid the mandatory fees. These checks will be conducted at the entrances or exits of tourist attractions to minimize disruption to tourists’ experiences while enjoying the beauty of Bali.
“We conduct monitoring, including evaluation and outreach, as this is a new policy introduced in Bali,” he elaborated. The Bali government utilizes the funds from the Bali tourism levy to address various tourism-related issues in the region, such as waste management and the preservation of local cultural heritage. Certain groups of foreign tourists are exempt from the Bali tourism levy, including:
- Diplomatic and official visa holders
- Crew members of transportation or hauling equipment
- Holders of temporary residence permit cards (KITAS) or permanent residence permit cards (KITAP)
- Visa holders for family reunification
- Visa holders for students
- Golden visa holders
- Holders of other types of visas (business visa categories)