Bali is considering imposing a tourism tax.

Báo Văn Hóa•12/05/2023

Indonesia is considering taxing tourists visiting Bali. (Photo: REUTERS)

Indonesian government officials have also repeatedly expressed their disappointment with tourists behaving badly. Foreigners need to understand local laws and customs to avoid heavy fines or deportation.

Ravindra Singh Shekhawat, the regional CEO for Bali of a Melbourne-based travel company, said that the rate of unruly tourist behavior has been increasing recently, with instances of disregard for local laws, culture, and traditions. He cited examples of tourists getting into heated arguments with local police after being stopped for not wearing helmets or violating traffic laws. Authorities are responding to this unruly behavior by increasing on-site checks, such as requiring driver's licenses and conducting breathalyzer tests.

As of mid-April, six Australians had been deported from Bali, although it is unclear whether this was due to behavioral or visa issues. Additionally, a Russian woman was deported from Indonesia for taking nude photos under a sacred tree. Furthermore, in March, the chair of the Bali Tourism Board, Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana, announced plans to place English-language signs around popular tourist spots to guide visitors on proper conduct.

In response to this situation, Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno stated that the country is considering imposing a "tourism tax" of $30-$100 per visitor to Bali. Bloomberg quoted Minister Sandiaga Uno as saying that the tourism tax would fund conservation projects, including mangrove reforestation and coral reef restoration, to ensure tourists have a positive impact on the local environment. According to Minister Sandiaga Uno, the implementation timeline and tax rate are still under discussion.

According to Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana, the chairman of the Bali Tourism Board, this tax will improve the quality of tourists. “Income from the tourism tax will support a range of measures and prevent Bali from being known only as a cheap destination. Cheap destinations attract cheap tourists, who tend to cause more problems.”

Bali Governor Wayan Koster wants to limit the number of tourists and requires people to register a year in advance to visit the popular resort island. Limiting the number of visitors will support Bali's goal of avoiding mass tourism.

Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Coordination Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan also called for a tourism tax and demanded its immediate implementation. He stated that Bali is one of the world's cheapest tourist destinations, and this has "encouraged many low-income foreign tourists to come to Bali," leading to many inappropriate behaviors. He agreed that the island should shift away from mass tourism and focus on becoming a high-quality tourist destination. "This trend would be very helpful in funding destination development and tourism promotion, as is done in some countries with thriving tourism industries," said Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

Prior to Bali, Thailand had also planned to collect 300 baht (approximately 200,000 VND) from all tourists entering the country starting in June, but postponed it due to a lack of feasible collection methods. However, Thai Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed that the 300 baht (US$8.72) tourism fee would not be delayed beyond September, and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports also plans to request provincial police to assist tourism police in their operations to eliminate "zero-cost tours" and illegal tourism.

HOANG MINH

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