BALI – The government of Indonesia has revealed the official date after which tourists would be liable to pay the tourism tax.
As per the details, from February 14th next year, Bali’s proposed tourist fee will be imposed and all foreigners arriving in Bali are required to pay a fixed fee of IDR150,000 ($10).
For the collection of the fee, payment counters are being established at the airport for payment in cash or by credit card though officials claim that the process would take just a few seconds; some claim that the collection would merely take 23 seconds as the government is collaborating with other players also.
Besides, there is a proposal for the collection of the tourism tax in advance and hopefully decision can be made before the imposition of the tourism tax; Interestingly, domestic Indonesian tourists will be exempt from this levy.
Despite the concerns regarding the tax and its collection mechanism, the Director General of Immigration, Silmy Karim, has expressed his desire to ensure that the immigration payment system in Indonesia is fully digitized.
Speaking earlier this year, Karim said that he wished to see Indonesia become the gold standard for immigration services around the globe.
As far as the reason for the tax is concerned, the environment seems to be at play. Confirming the tax, Governor I Wayan Koster had explained that the fee would be a one-time payment for foreign tourists visiting Bali and must be paid electronically and will be applicable to international tourists arriving in Bali from abroad or other parts of Indonesia.
When asked if the new tax would deter visitors from touring the destination, Koster negated the perception and said authorities did not believe numbers would reduce.
“It’s not a problem. We will use it for the environment, culture and we will build better quality infrastructure, so traveling to Bali will be more comfortable and safe,” he told reporters.
Bali remains a favorite spot for partygoers and the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) reported tourist arrivals to the island in March 2023 as 370,832 visits which is 14.59% increase compared to February 2023.
The tourism tax is being imposed across the world in multiple cities. Recently, Manchester became the first UK city to impose a tourist tax and everyone who stays in a city center hotel or holiday apartment has to pay £1 per night, per room.
Officially called the ‘City Visitor Charge’, it is hoped that it will raise £ 3 million a year; Edinburgh is also slated to introduce the same tax.
