The Bali government is planning to introduce a regulation that will make the Voucher Tourist Levy a mandatory requirement for obtaining a boarding pass when leaving the island.
This was announced by the head of the Bali Provincial Tourism Department, Cok Bagus Pemayun. “I hope we can sign a memorandum with SITA (Society of IATA Traffic Airliners) soon,” he stated. Cooperation with this aviation organization will help in informing passengers about the tax and ensuring its collection.
“If a tourist pays the fee before arriving in Bali, that’s ideal. If they pay after arrival, that’s also acceptable. However, if they try to leave without paying, they simply won’t be able to receive their boarding pass,” he explained.
According to him, this system will significantly improve tax collection efficiency. Cok Bagus Pemayun stated that if successfully implemented, this system could achieve a 95% tax collection rate.
“Through this collaboration with SITA, we can exceed our targets. Last year, our goal was 250 billion IDR, but we actually collected over 318 billion IDR,” he added.
Currently, many tourists are unaware of the levy, and not all visitors to the island pay it. The new rule could improve awareness, preventing unpleasant surprises at departure.
Additionally, there is ongoing discussion about upgrading the tax system. Authorities are considering stricter taxation for tourists, drawing attention to Bhutan’s $100 daily visitor fee. However, no specific decisions or amounts have been announced yet.
Sources: disparda
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