Bali, often hailed as the “Island of Gods” in Indonesia, is grappling with a paradoxical challenge: it craves tourists for their economic contribution but seeks to safeguard its cherished reputation from unruly behavior.
Recent incidents, from a German woman’s temple-stripping escapade in Ubud to an American man defacing a Balinese police car, have strained the island’s hospitality.
Governor Wayan Koster has initiated measures to curb this misconduct, including attaching a list of dos and don’ts to tourist passports and deporting over 136 foreigners for improper conduct this year alone.
Start Planning Your Dream Vacation
Download the Complete Trip Planning Guide
When will the Bali Tourism Tax Start?
In an effort to preserve the province’s rich culture and environment, Koster has announced a new $10 per person tourist tax, set to take effect next year, 2024.
Who has to pay the Bali Tourism Tax?
All international arrivals on the island will pay the imposed Bali Tourist Tax in 2024 and beyond.
More Information on the Bali Tourism Tax in 2024
Tensions have been rising due to a prevailing sense of disrespect displayed by visitors towards the local populace and their traditions. Notably, in recent months, a party of 17 tourists staying at a homestay filed a grievance about noisy roosters in the vicinity. Governor Koster, in reply, remarked, “They aren’t obliged to visit Bali. We don’t need to engage with individuals of that kind.”
Read More: Europe to Impose a Tourist Tax in 2024
The idea of introducing a tax for foreign visitors to Bali was initially discussed in 2019 as a response to the strains caused by overtourism, a concern that existed before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This concept finds precedence in other destinations as well: earlier this year, Malaysia reinstated a tourist tax of 10 ringgit ($2) per night for hotels, while Bhutan implemented a $200 per night fee for visitors’ stays in the country last year. Officials in these places justified the tax due to the strain tourism had placed on their infrastructure.
In Conclusion
Although Bali’s upcoming tourist tax, which will be collected electronically, has raised apprehensions among some businesses fearing it might discourage foreign visitors, Governor Koster has dismissed these concerns. He emphasized that the relatively modest fee will not deter tourists, and the revenue generated will be dedicated to environmental conservation, cultural preservation, and the enhancement of infrastructure to make traveling to Bali more comfortable and secure.
If you are interested in looking for a hotel in Bali, consider using booking.com here.
Book Your Trip Now!
Below are my favorite companies I use time and time again when I book my travel.
- Rakuten – Get the Best Coupons & Promo Codes at places like Hotels.com, Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline and many more. Sign Up for a Free Account with Rakuten to Save Today!
- Chase Travel Portal – If you have a Chase account, this is by far the best way to book travel and earn miles/points while doing so. If you don’t have a Chase account, I highly suggest getting the best travel rewards credit card in the Chase Sapphire Prefered.
- CapitalOne Travel – In my opinion, the second best travel rewards credit card. Use the CapitalOne travel portal to book airfare, hotels and rental cars using your points & miles.
- HomeStay – Homestay is a popular form of hospitality and lodging whereby visitors share a residence with a local of the city to which they are traveling.
- SkyScanner – Skyscanner is a great flight search engine which searches a lot of different airlines, including many of the budget carriers that larger sites miss. While I always start with Momondo, I use this site too as a way to compare prices.
- Booking.com – Booking probably has the widest selection of budget accommodation in the world. In our studies, they constantly found the cheapest rooms. I also like their easy-to-use interface and no-money-down policy.
- RocketMiles – Book hotels on Rocketmiles and earn thousands of miles and points per night on every booking. Or, earn gift cards for your favorite purchases.
- Selina Hostel – This is the best hostel accommodation in the world. Their unique CoLive stays, artwork and location are the best. Not to mention, they are a great value travel brand!
For companies, check out my favorite travel companies section that includes even more of my favorite travel companies that will help you value travel!
Previous Post
Next Post
