A letter inked by Bali’s governor has been sent to ambassadors employed by Indonesian embassies requesting assistance in informing prospective tourists about Bali’s new tourism tax.
Bali’s authorities want visitors to understand exactly what is expected of them when they come to the island.
This entails being aware of the recently implemented tourism tax and adhering to the list of Dos and Don’ts for visitors to Bali, which was released last year to crack down on misbehaving visitors.
It is expected that the new system will not interfere with visitors’ arrival times. Leading tourism officials claim that paying an arrival fee can be completed in just 23 seconds.
Nevertheless, in addition to paying for the visa upon arrival and standing in line for passport stamping by immigration officials, there might be an additional line during busy periods for the payment of the tourism tax.
With the help of QR code scanners, officials will be manually verifying who has paid the fee.
Travelers should be aware that paying their tourism tax online before visiting Bali is simpler and faster. They will only need to do this once so they can show their tourism tax voucher to one of the officers in charge at Bali airport.
All foreign visitors to the province must pay the new tourism levy, which can be made online, in person at Bali Airport, or at hotels and resorts.
International Support
Jo Stevens, the Australian Consul General in Denpasar, Bali, is in favor of the imposition of a foreign visitor tax in Bali, which went into effect on February 14, 2024, and cost IDR 150 thousand (about USD 9.54) per person.
“This (levy) is a good thing to support culture, for waste management, respecting customs, religious aspects and Balinese culture,” said Stevens in Sanur, Denpasar, last week.
The levy on foreign tourists was also endorsed by Matthew Downing, the British Deputy Ambassador to Indonesia. He claims that several governments around the world have put taxation policies in place for different reasons. He said that the levy is being used to support regional initiatives.
Other countries and cities implementing a tourist tax
Amsterdam
The cruise passenger fare in this city has increased from 8 euros to 11 euros, and the hotel room tax has increased from 7 percent to 12.5%.
Barcelona and Valencia
Spain charges up to 3.25 euros per night per tourist.
Bhutan
Adult visitors must pay a daily visitation fee of $100 USD in this country, while children must pay $50 USD.
Venice
This city is also charging a tourist fee from 2024.
The whole price ranges from 1 to 5 euros per person per night, depending on the location, kind, and classification of the lodging establishment as well as the season (high season is from February 1 to December 31; low season is from January 1 to January 31).