Officials in Bali, Indonesia are proposing to raise the existing IDR150,000 (S$12.30) tourism tax.

If approved, the tourism tax would increase by five times to IDR750,000 (S$61.60).

Drawing in good and bad tourists

Bali's IDR150,000 tourism tax kicked in on Feb. 14, 2024, but local authorities are reportedly having difficulties collecting the tax from all incoming tourists.

Despite this, the tourism tax has raked in IDR117 billion, or S$9.62 million, as of June 2024, the Bali Sun reported.

As tourists flock to the island in droves, Bali officials are looking to stamp out and keep out unruly, misbehaving tourists and only let in high-quality tourists.

One method that officials suggested on Jun. 19 is increasing tourism tax, CNN Indonesia and Detik Bali reported.

Keep out low quality tourists

Bali People’s Representative Council chairman Gede Komang Kresna Budi said the IDR150,000 is "too low", making Bali seem like a "cheap tourist destination".

He said this is a problem as unruly tourists who disregard local culture and norms, and flout the island's rules and regulations, tend to have lower spending power.

As such, he said increasing tourism tax would deter unruly tourists, and the funds would go towards boosting tourism, such as the formation of a dedicated tourism police force.

The head of the Bali Tourism Office Tjok Bagus Pemayun said on Jun. 21 that the local authorities are reviewing the tourism tax and are seriously considering increasing it.

Bali's acting governor Sang Made Mahendra Jaya said he will study the proposal to increase the tourism tax.

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Top image by @irfanmld and @rubenhutabarat from Unsplash