Bali Governor Wayan Koster explained how revenues from tourist fees are collected and planned to be distributed. According to him, the central government returns a disproportionately small portion of the funds that Bali contributes to the state treasury.
Starting from February 2024, tourists are required to pay a mandatory fee of 150,000 rupiah per person. Additionally, businesses in Bali remit taxes from hotels and restaurants to the national budget. According to the governor, the island provides 44% of all foreign exchange earnings from tourism in Indonesia and has already sent 107 trillion rupiah in taxes related to this sector to the center.
Koster intends to seek a special funding regime for regions that are global tourism leaders.
He proposes enshrining in law a rule that allocates more funds for infrastructure to such provinces. For example, he cited the port of Sanur: the facility has improved communication with Nusa Penida, but has caused severe traffic jams, which the region finds difficult to resolve without additional assistance.
Bali Senator Made Supartha went further: he insists that all taxes on hotels, restaurants, and tourism collected on the island should remain there. According to him, the money is needed "for the benefit of the Balinese people and the development of tourism" and should compensate for the region's costs.
The senator applied the same logic to the fees for electronic visas on arrival: in his opinion, Bali should see a direct benefit from these payments.
The tourist fee introduced in February 2024 remains mandatory: 150,000 rupiah are directed towards preserving nature and culture, as well as improving the island's infrastructure.
Sources: javapos, tribunnews
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