Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Foreigners visiting Bali must pay a levy worth Rp 150,000 or around $9 to spend time in the tourist haven, according to the new rules set by the local government.

Last February, Bali began imposing a tourism levy for every foreign national wishing to explore the province. The money will go into protecting the local culture and natural heritage.

Bali Governor Wayan Koster inked Monday a circular on the dos and don'ts for foreigners visiting the province following countless unruly visitors. Aside from calls to respect local traditions, the new rules want to ensure that no international holidaymaker gets away without paying the tax that is only a tiny fraction of the usual tourist spending.

"All foreign travelers must pay the levy before their departure or during their time in Bali electronically," the circular reads.

The government accepts the levy payments via the Love Bali website. Visitors also only have to pay the tourism tax once.

According to media reports, Bali had collected nearly Rp 24.3 billion in foreign tourist levy so far this year as of Feb. 4. Last year, Bali managed to amass around Rp 318 billion in levy.

Diplomatic visas and permanent stay permit holders are not subject to this tax.

The circular also stipulates some transaction rules for international vacationers in Bali.

Foreigners have to use the Indonesian rupiah when making their transactions, be it using cash or the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS). They can exchange cash at authorized money changers. QRIS lets people make payments simply by scanning a barcode using their mobile phones. Bank Indonesia – the country's central bank – has linked QRIS with some of its ASEAN counterparts such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. This way, travelers don't have to use the American dollar as an intermediary.

Bali seeks to record 6.5 million international visitors this year. As many as 6.3 million foreign holidaymakers came to Bali throughout 2024, government data showed.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/lifestyle/balis-foreign-tourists-must-pay-9-levy-say-new-rule