Bali will start charging foreign tourists a levy to visit the island from February 2024.
The levy, IDR150 000 (R183) per person for each entry to Bali, will be used to fund sustainability efforts on the island including coral reef conservation, mangrove rehabilitation and other projects, announced Tjokorda Bagus Pemayun, Head of Bali’s Tourism Office.
According to gulfnews.com, the levy must be paid before or at the time of arrival. Other details are still under discussion in the Tourism Office.
While the Bali tourism sector has not fully recovered to its pre-pandemic levels, the island has been struggling with tourists’ bad behaviour and increasing crime rates, rousing the anger of residents.
The island has deported hundreds of tourists this year and issued a guide for how they should behave, including how to respect the local customs and rituals.
According to the Statistics Bureau, the crackdown has not hurt foreign arrivals. Tourist numbers are reported to have risen steadily to nearly half a million in June, more than doubling the figure of June a year ago.
