Starting today, Bali is introducing a new tourist fee, making it the first province in Indonesia to implement such a tax. Visitors to Bali will need to pay this fee before arrival and each time they leave and re-enter the province.

Originally proposed last April, the fee was adjusted from a higher rate of US$30 to US$100 per visitor, following a previous attempt in 2019 that lacked public support. The revised fee is now set at 150,000 Indonesian rupiah per visitor, approximately US$10, €9, or AU$15.

According to Wayan Koster, Bali’s former governor who established the fee, the revenue will support efforts to preserve the island’s environment and cultural heritage. This is particularly important given the ongoing challenge of plastic waste pollution affecting Bali’s beaches and waters, exacerbated by increasing tourist numbers.

How can tourists pay?

You can pay the fee through the Love Bali website, the official government tourism portal. To complete the payment, you’ll need to provide your name, passport number, email address, and arrival date. Once processed, a voucher will be emailed to you, which can be scanned at designated checkpoints upon arrival.

Alternatively, you can pay in Indonesian rupiah or by card at one of the five designated payment counters at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport or other entry points.

Tourists behaving badly

The decision to introduce a tourist fee comes amid Bali’s struggle with the impacts of its booming popularity. Known for its vibrant coastal resorts, lush terraced rice paddies, and majestic Hindu temples, Bali has become one of the world’s top tourist destinations over the past decade.

In 2019, before the pandemic, the island, with a population of 4.3 million, welcomed 6.3 million visitors, a dramatic increase from 2.2 million a decade earlier. This surge has led to severe congestion, traffic violations, and unsustainable waste accumulation, all straining local resources. Additionally, there has been a rise in incidents of disrespectful behavior by tourists, with some visitors disregarding Balinese customs and rules.

Notably, in March last year, a Russian tourist was deported after a photo of him at a sacred Hindu site, showing him pantless, went viral on social media. Another tourist was seen yelling at religious security officers directing him away from a street closed for a Hindu purification ritual. Complaints about roosters crowing at dawn, disturbing guests at a homestay, further exacerbated tensions between tourists and locals.

Besides culturally insensitive actions, other visitors have been cited for traffic violations and illegal work under tourist visas. In 2023, Bali deported 289 foreigners, a significant increase from 188 the previous year.

These issues have highlighted the need for stricter tourism regulations. In response, Bali has banned single-use plastics and launched campaigns urging tourists to respect local customs. The Bali Tourism Board’s recent ad campaign emphasizes the importance of cultural sensitivity, including avoiding “vulgar pictures” on social media, wearing helmets on motorbikes, and keeping beachwear on the beach. The campaign warns that offenders may face substantial fines or deportation.

Proposed visitor cap 

The introduction of the tourist tax is part of a broader strategy to manage tourism sustainably. Discussions about implementing a visitor cap have been ongoing for nearly a year, aiming to balance Bali’s popularity with its capacity while preserving its cultural integrity. The proposed quota system seeks to shift from a quantity-focused approach to one emphasizing quality, encouraging fewer visitors to stay longer and making tourism more sustainable overall. Officials are currently working on defining targets to align the number of international visitors with the island’s capacity.

While the idea of quotas initially raised concerns within the tourism industry, Wayan Koster, the island’s former governor, has reassured that Bali will continue to welcome millions of international visitors, even with the new tax in place.

This initiative is part of a broader effort to address the challenges of mass tourism. Though many proposed solutions are still in the planning stages, this approach underscores the nation’s growing concern about the current situation and the ongoing need for tourists to show greater respect while traveling abroad.