Bali makes insane amount from tourists

Bali is undoubtedly one of the most popular islands to visit, particularly among Aussies – and in just one year, it’s made a wild amount from tourists.

It has been one year since Bali introduced a mandatory tourism tax with the levy reportedly making close to a whopping $31 million.

The 150,000 IDR ($15) tourist levy came into effect on February 14, 2024 with plans to use the money to help protect Bali’s culture and customs, and environment to create sustainable tourism.

In 2024 alone, more than 1.5 million Aussies visited Bali, making Australia the largest feeder market for direct foreign tourist arrivals to Bali, according to Statista.

“In the future, the collection of [tourist levy] fees in Bali will protect nature and keep it clean and sustainable,” Indonesian Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno told news.com.au last year.

“But it also plays a vital role in protecting and promoting Balinese culture, which includes customs, traditions, cultural arts, and local wisdom to maintain Bali’s spiritual aura.”

Bali has made around $31 million in one year from the tourist tax levy. Picture: iStock

He said the funds were also “expected to improve Bali’s cultural tourism information services and build quality public transportation infrastructure and facilities” – something that’s long been an issue on the island.

In 2024 the official number of international tourists who visited Bali, and who were eligible to pay the fee reached 6,333,360.

According to The Bali Sun, the data shows that only 35 per cent of all international arrivals paid the levy, otherwise, the total amount raised by the government would have hit IDR 950 billion – $95 billion.

There’s plans to use the money to help protect Bali’s culture and customs, and environment to create sustainable tourism. Picture: iStock

The Head of the Bali Tourism Office, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, said one of the challenges in implementing the levy is the lack of information among tourists.

“Therefore, socialisation will continue to be improved so that this policy can run more effectively,” he told reporters this week.

Mr Pemayun wants to partner with airlines so that those travellers who have not paid their Tourism Tax Levy prior to departure from the island will not be issued a boarding pass, the publication reported. He explained that he and his teams will be working with the IATA Airlines.

Currently, tourists heading to Bali need to pay a $48 e-Visa on Arrival fee and an extra $15 for the tax levy.

“If it can be paid before arriving in Bali, that’s very good, if they want to pay after arriving in Bali, it’s also fine. But if they want returns to their country and has not paid, then they cannot get a boarding pass. Have to pay first. So the Levy payment Voucher will be a requirement for issuing a boarding pass,” he said.

Currently, Aussies and tourists alike heading to Bali pay a $48 e-Visa on Arrival fee and an extra $15 for the tax levy.

Some local lawmakers have been pushing for the tax levy to increase to $75 a day. Picture: iStock

Some local lawmakers have been pushing for the tax levy to increase to $75 a day.

“I think IDR150,000 tax is too low, so Bali seems like a cheap tourist destination,” Bali Regional Legislative Council lawmaker Gede Komang Kresna Budi said.

“Why should Bali be sold cheaply?

“There is this problem because usually, those who act up are members of the bottom layer (lower-spending tourists).”

The proposal is likened to a system already adopted by Bhutan, where tourists must pay a daily ‘Sustainable Development Fee’ of $157 per person – with no more than 400,000 tourists permitted to visit the country each year.

The move to introduce a tourism tax comes after almost two years of efforts to crackdown on mass tourism and unruly foreigners. Picture: iStock

“Foreign tourists who come to Bali must be selected, like in Bhutan, from a spending perspective,” I Wayan Puspa Negara, head of the Bali Marginal Tourism Actors Alliance, who backs the shift to a daily fee, said.

The move to introduce a tourism tax comes after almost two years of efforts to crackdown on mass tourism and unruly foreigners.

Indonesia has pleaded with Australian tourists to not only respect local customs but explore more of the country beyond Bali, and the Australian government has urged travellers to listen to Indonesia’s pleas to behave.

An official tourist dos and don’ts list was released, a hotline was established for anyone to dob in misbehaving travellers, and a special task force was set up to monitor foreigners’ activities.

The easiest way to pay the fee is via the Love Bali website.

You will need to enter your details, including your passport number and arrival date.

Then you can choose your payment method and once successful, you will have a ‘Levy Voucher’ sent to your email.

It is important to make sure the voucher is valid and active as your will need to present it at scanning checkpoints when entering Bali.

There will also be a counter to pay the fee by debit or credit card at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport or Benoa Harbour, but this is not the method encouraged.