As 2024 is on track to smash tourism targets before the year is out, tourism leaders in Bali are already looking ahead to 2025 to see what international tourism figures will look like this time next year.
Leaders predict that tourism will generate USD 22.1 billion in foreign exchange, with more tourists than before the pandemic visiting the island, and spending more than ever.
Local reports show that the government is targeting tourism foreign exchange value in 2025 to a value of USD 22.1 billion US dollars; this would be a notable increase from the 2023 baseline of USD 14.63 billion. This target is also higher than the forecast for 2024, which is projected at USD 17.64 billion.
These targets have been published in the 2025 Government Work Plan (RKP) which was published by the National Development Planning Agency. Speaking to reporters Deputy Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Angela Tanoesoedibjo emphasized that to achieve this target, tourism policy will focus on strengthening the implementation of quality and sustainable tourism.
Tanoesoedibjo said, “With a tourism foreign exchange target of USD 22.1 billion in the future, the focus of developing Indonesian tourism will be quality and sustainable tourism.”
She noted that to support the achievement of foreign exchange targets, the government has designed a number of programs. Among other things, they are working on providing more incentives for the development of thematic tourist destinations that have a global tourist market.
The government will also implement sustainable tourism in tourism destinations and encourage tourism development through support for schemes and alternative financing sources such as blended finance.
By 2025, the tourism sector’s condition to the Indonesian GDP is to reach 4.6%.
However, as the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economies seeks to boost tourism growth, it is endeavoring to be evermore discerning about the type of tourist and foreign investor it attracts to Bali and other areas of the country.
As there has been a rise in the number of reports of foreigners behaving badly in Bali, the Tourism Ministry is working in collaboration with the Director General of Immigration to review and advise on immigration policies.
There have been calls for a review of the tourism visa on arrival and e-visa on arrival policy. Some leaders want to see the 30-day visa-on-arrival policy changed to ensure that low-budget and potentially badly behaved tourists are deterred from visiting; low-budget tourists do not necessarily correlate with the kinds of bad behavior seen around the island.
Earlier this week, a video went viral of a guest at the 5-star, ultra-luxurious Avpurva Kempinski Hotel in Nusa Dua putting his face into a flower display, tipping it over in the process, causing a huge mess and displaying the kind of behavior not usually associated with an establishment that has previously hosted heads of state and royalty.
With revenue set to skyrocket in Bali, tourism leaders and provincial politicians will need to start to put together a concrete plan for how tourism development will be managed on the island moving forward.
As the new government is being formed, communities across Bali and tourists want to know how tax funding will improve life on the island.
It was revealed earlier this month by the acting governor of Bali, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, that there was no set budget in place for the first round of funds generated by the new Bali Tourism Tax Levy; funds that have already amounted to over USD 7 million.
He said that a plan would be in place by the time the APBD budget is announced later in the year.
Despite this, there have been calls this week from tourism stakeholders to increase the Bali Tourism Tax Levy fee from IDR 150,000 to IDR 500,000, around USD 50.
This a policy that, if introduced, would certainly deter many Bali lovers from returning to the island, especially since the visa on arrival now also costs IDR 500,000, and pre-pandemic the visa was free for most of Bali’s most frequent international arrivals.
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Wayan Mataram
Monday 24th of June 2024
As what I understood reason behind opiniions on a plan to increase tourism tax is amongst other things required to formulate ways toward achieving a quality & sustainable tourism for Bali LINK I would suggest to Goverment Department of Tourism to take an initiative to conduct a kind of "workshop" on the subject of "Achieving a Quality & Sustainable tourism - What to Do" . To include all High Rank Stake holders of tourism industry to the WorkShop, i. e: Executive, Legislative, BTB, PHRI, Expert, University ,Society Leaders, Law Enforcement, Immigration, Police, Lawyers,LSMs.Religious leader. In order to formulate Recomendations of Strategy & Action Plans of the subject to Bali Governor for his further implementation. By taking an example of initiative as stated above, it may could minimize individuals's opinions scatered around which can causing a bad image to our goverment policies as a whole.
Colin
Sunday 23rd of June 2024
Sadly Bali is heading in the wrong direction, there are to many tourists now infrastructure is hemorrhaging, it's overcrowded everywhere, gridlock roads 2 hours plus to travel 40 kilometres, litter and rubbish everywhere, over development of villas and hotels , we are watching the destruction and end of what was once a beautiful island with people and culture to match.
Wayan Bo
Sunday 23rd of June 2024
Such tourists industry need more robots.
Komang
Sunday 23rd of June 2024
Bali is truly becoming a paradise lost to greed. It is so heartbreaking to see. All they need is a few common sense programs well managed.
Wayan Mataram
Sunday 23rd of June 2024
As what I understand reason behind to increase tourism tax is amongst other things required to formulate ways toward achieving a quality & sustainable tourism for Bali I would suggest to Goverment Department of Tourism to conduct a kind of workshop on the subject of "Achieving a Quality & Sustainable tourism - What to Do" . To include all Stake holders of tourism industry to the WorkShop, i. e: Executive, Legislative, BTB, PHRI, Expert, University ,Society Leaders, Law Enforcement, Immigration, Police, Lawyers,LSMs.Religious leader. In order to formulate Recomendations of Action Plans of the subject to Bali Governor for his further implementation 1