Bali’s new tourism tax has been a hot topic of conversation this year. Officials have now confirmed the date that the new tax will be introduced for all international visitors to Bali.
For some, the day is a day of love and romance, but in Bali this year, it’ll be the day to pay.
That’s right, Bali’s new tourism tax will be introduced on the 14th of February 2024. Speaking to reporters, the Head of the Bali Tourism Department, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, has confirmed that the new levy will be formally in place earlier than first anticipated.
The tourism tax will cost IDR 150,000 per person per visit to Bali, approx USD 10. This includes children. So, if tourists arrive in Bali and then catch the fast boat to the Gili Islands and Lombok or nip across to East Java and then return to Bali, they will have to pay the fee once again when they arrive back on the island.
It could eventually be the case that the IDR 150,000 fee is valid for a set period of time, say 30 days, but no officials have suggested this will be the case. So far, it seems the tax will be applicable on a per-visit basis.
This won’t be the case for travelers visiting Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan since the three islands are part of Bali Province.
@thehonest.travellers Here’s the itinerary we followed during our 30 days in Bali & Lombok 🇮🇩🙌🏼 We wanted to do the boats/island hopping in the middle to avoid any stress right before our outbound flight (as we’ve heard many stories of boats being cancelled due to weather, etc.). That’s why we saw Nusa Penida, Lombok & Gili Islands before Canggu & Uluwatu ☺️ We loved every place so much ❤️ but we still have a lot more to see especially in north & east Bali, so we’re looking forward to our next time there 🙌🏼🇮🇩 What’s your favourite area in Bali? 👀👇🏼 ES: aquí esta el itinerario que seguimos durante nuestros 30 días en Bali & Lombok 🇮🇩🙌🏼 Quisimos ir a las islas en barco en mitad de los 30 días para evitar ningún estrés justo antes del vuelo de salida (ya que hemos oído historias de barcos que se cancelan por el tiempo, etc.). Por eso vimos Nusa Penida, Lombok & las islas Gili antes que Canggu & Uluwatu ☺️ Cada sitio nos gustó tanto ❤️ pero todavía nos queda mucho por ver, sobre todo en el norte y el este de Bali, así que ya tenemos ganas de ir otra vez 🙌🏼🇮🇩 ¿Cuál es tu parte favorita de Bali? 👀👇🏼 #traveltiktok #bali #indonesia #traveltips #balitrip #beautifulbali #baliitinerary #itinerary #wanderlust #traveltheworldwithme #travelfun #travelwithus #travelwithme #viajes #viajestiktok #viajar ♬ I’ve Got a Feelin’ – Macy Todd
This is because the tourism tax is a local, provincial tax. The legislation is in the process of being signed off by the Provincial Government and the relevant authorities at the central government.
Tourists who arrive in Indonesia via other cities, for example, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Medan, or Labuan Bajo, and then fly domestically into Bali will also have to pay their tourism tax on arrival at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport domestic terminal if they arrive on or after 14th February 2024.
The tourism tax is a fee that will be introduced alongside the existing IDR 500,000 fee for the 30-day visa on arrival.
Since the tourism tax is a provincial levy and the VOA fee is a levy for the Ministry of Immigration, the payments will have to be made separately.
Officials are already ahead of the game. Aware of the long queues that can sometimes develop at peak times at Bali Airport, systems are already being established to ensure that paying the tourism tax won’t eat into that all-important vacation time.
It has already been confirmed that the IDR 150,000 must be paid in Indonesian Rupiah, but international cards will be accepted for payment.
The Provincial Government has signed a partnership deal with BRI Bank to ensure that the process is quick and easy.
Speaking last week, Pemayun told the media that the payment will take just 23 seconds to process. Tourists will be able to pay their IDR 150,000 on a card upon arrival at Bali Airport.
At least 20 officers will be on duty to process payments before tourists proceed to the immigration line.
Though Bali lovers have already shared their opinions online, many fear that the new tourism tax pavement system will invariably encounter queues on a regular basis, especially since over 18,000 people are arriving in Bali by flight on average every day.
Officials have suggested that tourists will eventually be able to pay their IDR 150,000 tax online before arriving in Bali, though they have not confirmed whether this system will be up and running by the time 14th February comes around.
The Director General of Immigration, Silmy Karim, has been vocal about his desire to ensure that the immigration payment system in Indonesia is fully digitized.
Speaking during his appointment as Directorate General earlier this year, Karim said that he wanted to see Indonesia become the gold standard for immigration services around the world.
Though no budget breakdown has been published regarding how and where funds generated by the tourism tax will be spent, officials have confirmed that revenue will be used to ‘preserve the environment, nature, and culture as well as improving quality’.
The Acting Governor of Bali, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, has said that he wants to see the first chunk of revenue generated by the tourism tax to be used to tackle waste management.
Though long term, how the funds are spent will ultimately be decided by the next Governor and his government following the 2024 elections.
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