Spot Checks Catch Bali Tourists Dodging Tax Fees

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Tourism Police in Bali have been conducting spot checks at top attractions to ensure that all foreign visitors have been paying their tourism tax.

The newly introduced fee costs IDR 150,000 per person per visit to the province. 

The Bali Province Tourism Office along with the Tourism Satpol Police, have been conducing spot checks on tourists this week.

Patrols have been carried out in Uluwatu so far, with patrols coming up in Tanah Lot, Ulun Danu Beratan and Tampaksiring near Ubud soon. 

Speaking to reporters from Uluwatu, the Head of the Bali Tourism Service, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, said that he and his team have explained the tourist levy policy to the tourists concerned and guided them to make payments via the LoveBali application.

He said “The percentage [we’ve seen today] is 5-10 percent who have not paid and at that time they immediately paid using Love Bali, we will guide them.”

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Data shows that up to 60% of tourists who should have paid their tourism tax fees have not done so since the policy was introduced in February.

The patrols were led by Pemayun himself. He told reporters, “Not all foreign tourists know that Bali has implemented this foreign tourist levy.”

Pemayun added, “We have carried out outreach to Indonesian Embassies abroad. Ambassadors of friendly countries in Jakarta have also been notified, but that is not enough. So we will continue to carry out outreach.”

He continued, “They welcome this policy, but it must be transparent and clear in its use. We have said that it will be used to preserve the environment and strengthen Balinese culture.”

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“We plan twice a month [for spot checks]; if it happens too often, it won’t be good.”

The spot check patrol and socialization session was organized by the Bali Tourism Office with help from all the big tourism stakeholders in the area, including Indonesian Recreation Park Business Association.

Representatives from the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association, the Manager of Uluwatu Temple, the Bali Province Satpol PP, the Badung Regency Satpol PP, the Tourist Guide Association, Association of The Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) Bali were also present to lend a hand.

Speaking from Uluwatu, the Chairman of the Indonesian Recreation Park Business Association (PUTRI), I Gusti Ayu Agung Inda Trimafo Yudha, said: “We welcome this policy and are ready to assist the government, especially to assist collection officers in carrying out their duties in the field.”

He added, “We have to provide good service and explanations to tourists so that they don’t feel uncomfortable.”

The Chairman of the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI) Bali, Ida Bagus Agung Parta Adnyana, said “We will definitely continue to monitor it so as not to cause new problems in the tourism industry. Of course, I hope that the funds that have come in can also be returned and used by the tourism sector.”

However, some tourism stakeholders and tourists have already critiqued the system, and have noted that serious improvements need to be made as soon as possible in order to help keep tourists on board with paying the additional fees. 

The Deputy Chairman of the Bali DPRD I, Nyoman Sugawa Korry, said that more payment kiosks and scanners need to be available at Bali Airport to make the process seamless for tourists on arrival.

He said, “You cannot install auto scanners at airports. Because [the airport] has its own authority. We must immediately revise the Regional Regulation or create a Governor’s Regulation to provide incentives to parties who can help with intensive collection.”

It is now Indonesian law that all foreign tourists must pay the IDR 150,000 tourism tax before leaving Bali.

However, tourists are being encouraged to pay online via the LoveBali app or website before arriving in Bali to help save time.