Bali Tourism Tax: Bali is getting ready to start its new tourism tax on February 14. People who know about it shared more information about the tax as the launch date gets closer. It’s important to mention that seven types of visitor visas don’t have to pay the IDR 150,000 tourism tax fee.
If you have one of the special visas, you don’t have to pay the tax. But, you need to go online and ask not to pay it. The visas that can get this exception are diplomatic and official visas, people working on transportation, and those with temporary or permanent stay permits (KITAS and KITAP).
Tourism Tax of Bali
Moreover, people with family unification visas, Golden Visas, student visas, and business-specific visas don’t have to pay the tax either. According to reports, if someone wants to avoid paying the tourism tax, they need to submit their request at least one month before they plan to enter Bali. The local tourism authority will review and decide on these requests within a maximum of five working days. After that, they will inform tourists about their decision through the Love Bali system at lovebali.baliprov.go.id.
At first, travelers can choose to pay the tourism tax and confirm it at the international arrival terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport and Benoa Port in Bali. However, tourists should be aware of patrols by the Bali Tourism Civil Service Satpol PP Units, especially in places like Sanur Harbour. This is important, especially when tourists are traveling between the Gili Islands and Lombok, which are not within Bali Province’s authority.
Officials might request tourists to show their tourism tax payment receipts. As mentioned before, Bali’s decision to impose a tourism tax was first announced in July of the previous year. This was done to protect the island’s culture and to generate extra funds. Bali is often called the ‘Island of Gods,’ and it depends a lot on tourists. The challenge is to keep its beauty and tropical charm while recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Official numbers show that in 2022, more than two million tourists visited Bali.
Who all are required to pay the tax?
Every foreign tourist coming to Bali, except those going to nearby islands like Nusa Penida, Nusa Ceningan, and Nusa Lembongan, must pay the tourism tax. This also includes travelers coming from other parts of Indonesia using domestic flights or land routes. Even children need to pay this tax.