Indonesia
Tourist tax in Bali starts in February
Bali will charge a tourist fee from February 14, 2024. photo
© Carola Frentzen/dpa
Nine euros. That doesn’t sound like much at first. The holiday island of Bali wants to tackle its biggest problems with the “tourism tax”. But if you take a closer look, the fee could be expensive.
150,000 Indonesian rupees (around 9 euros) are due, in addition to the 500,000 rupees (30 euros) for a 30-day visa. The “tourism tax” applies to everyone without exception, including children. Anyone who takes a detour to neighboring islands such as the popular Gili Islands, Lombok or Java will have to pay again on the return trip to Bali. However, this does not apply to short trips to Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan or Nusa Ceningan, as these three islands belong to the province of Bali.
However, many are already worried about possible endless waiting times when entering Ngurah Rai Airport. A lot of valuable vacation time is lost during peak times just to get a visa at the “immigration” counters. So now there are two snakes threatening? Those responsible are well aware of the problem. “Given that more than 15,000 travelers can arrive at Bali Airport every day, it is important that the process runs quickly and efficiently,” said the announcement a few days ago.
Goal: Processing in seconds
20 officials are to be deputed to collect money – also by credit card. According to the head of the local tourism authority, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, the process should take no more than 23 seconds per person. It is not yet clear whether it will be possible to pay online in advance in the future.
While the costs are certainly affordable for solo travelers, many families with children will probably soon look for cheaper vacation areas in Southeast Asia, according to comments on the Internet. “Some regular visitors to Bali are already considering alternative destinations such as Thailand, where visas remain free on arrival,” wrote Travel Weekly Asia magazine.
Indonesia fans who use Bali as a base from which to explore the island state also incur high costs: Many enter the country via Bali, travel to Lombok for a few days and then – after further stops in Bali – travel to see the Komodo dragons on the Lesser Sunda Islands, to the orangutans on Sumatra and to the Borobodur Temple in Java. For such island hopping, 150,000 rupees are now due at every stop in Bali.
Traffic chaos and waste problems
However, it is important to the authorities to be able to better counteract the negative effects of mass tourism in the future – and for this to happen, fresh money needs to come into the coffers. “Tourism has of course made a positive contribution to Bali itself and also to Indonesia at the national level, but on the other hand it also has serious negative consequences,” emphasized island governor Wayan Koster. The growing traffic chaos and the lack of waste disposal are the biggest headaches.
The name Bali still evokes visions of lush green rice terraces, picturesque temples and wonderful beaches like Dreamland or Nusa Dua. But just getting there is becoming more and more of a challenge. Even the journey from the airport to the holiday hotspots takes hours at peak times. The images of completely clogged streets circulating on social networks seem more off-putting than heavenly.
The construction of an underground light rail transit system could help defuse the chaos. Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan announced a few days ago that such a railway would in the future connect the airport with tourist destinations such as Canggu and Seminyak. According to the plans, the system could be active as early as 2025/2026. Then it’s high time: according to estimates, the influx of holidaymakers will increase massively in the next few years. The tourist tax is urgently needed “to protect the glorious Balinese culture and nature,” emphasized Governor Koster.