Since its introduction on the 14th of February 2024, the levy for foreign tourists in Bali, also known as the ‘Tourism Levy’, has accumulated Rp185.5 billion.
Despite this seemingly impressive figure, the Head of the Bali Provincial Tourism Office, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, has noted that a significant number of foreign tourists in Bali have yet to contribute to the province’s Tourism Levy. During peak seasons, such as summer, the number of foreign tourists visiting Bali can reach at least 18,000. This implies that, in Rupiah terms, the government could have collected a much higher amount in Tourism Levy than it has so far.
“The amount of Rp185.5 billion represents only 40% of the total expected from foreign tourists visiting Bali,” Pemayun told the press on Monday, 12th of August.
Bali’s Tourism Levy is governed by Regional Regulation (Peraturan Daerah or PERDA) Number 6 of 2023 concerning Foreign Tourist Levies. The levy requires every foreign tourist visiting Bali to pay Rp150,000. The purpose of the Tourism Levy is to generate funds for the protection of Balinese customs and culture.
As the Tourism Levy is a relatively new policy, Pemayun and his team will continue to assess its implementation. For example, the lack of a gate system to facilitate payment of the Tourism Levy at the airport entrance may contribute to the less-than-ideal amount of revenue collected so far.
“This is a new programme, so we continue to evaluate the problems encountered in the field,” he added.
In June, the Regional Legislative Council in Bali (DPRD Bali) proposed an increase in the Tourism Levy from US$10 (approximately Rp150,000) to US$50 (approximately Rp750,000) per foreign tourist. DPRD Bali also suggested that 2.5% of the Tourism Levy should be allocated as incentives for the Immigration Office, the police, and the management of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
In response, the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy emphasised that the benefits of the Tourism Levy should be demonstrated before any further revisions are considered.
“Let’s prove it first,” said Ni Made Ayu Marthini, Deputy for Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, during a press conference on the 24th of June. “If it [the Tourism Levy] proves effective, it can be reviewed and revised later.”