The governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, has recently announced a new policy to impose a one-time tax on all foreign visitors to the island, effective from 2024, The Jakarta Post has reported.
The tax, amounting to approximately $10, is intended to provide funding for initiatives that promote cultural preservation and infrastructure development in Bali. Notably, the tax is not dependent on the length of the visitors' stay and is applicable to all foreign nationals, without any quotas or restrictions on the number of tourists that can visit the island.
The governor's policy is a departure from his previous proposal to limit the number of tourists and introduce quotas, which was met with some resistance from the tourism industry. The new program, titled "100 years of Bali's development," was aimed at moving away from mass tourism and towards more sustainable and responsible tourism practices.
Governor Koster has emphasized the need to control the number of visitors to Bali, citing the recent deportation of 101 tourists, most of whom were Russians, in January 2023. To this end, the governor has proposed implementing a quota system, whereby foreign visitors will be required to register a year in advance and wait their turn to enter Bali.
In addition following a series of accidents involving foreign tourists on motorcycles, the Bali administration has banned the use of motorcycles by foreign visitors, requiring them to use only transportation provided by tourism services that meet the standards of "quality and dignified tourism."
Follow Daryo's official Instagram and Threads pages to keep up to date on world news.
Comments (0)