Bali Governor Requests AirBnB to Delete Illegal Accommodations from the Application

DENPASAR - Bali Governor Wayan Koster asked the management of Online Travel Agent (OTA) or digital platform company for booking accommodation or other tourism products, AirBnB, to delete the list of illegal accommodations from their applications.

"If it is not orderly, I hope that the perpetrators of vila and tourism services will be removed from the AirBnB digital platform list," said Koster in Denpasar, Thursday, February 12.

In front of the managers of AirBnB Southeast Asia which has its office in Singapore, Koster asked them to comply with the Bali Provincial Government regulations in realizing quality, dignified, and culture-based tourism governance.

Governor Koster wants to ensure that OTA promotes villas or tourism services in Bali that are licensed and are sure to pay taxes.

He admitted that he was open to anyone who wanted to try in Bali, but regulations must still be enforced to maintain the quality of tourism.

"If the quality of tourism in Bali is only imposed on the responsibility of the Bali Provincial Government, districts/cities, and the people of Bali, it is unfair, those who benefit from tourism actually do nothing for Bali," he said.

Therefore, Governor Koster asked AirBnB not to just promote illegal accommodations on their application.

Koster invited OTA to work together by facilitating the collection of foreign tourists (PWA) through their networks.

"Then you have to follow what the direction of the Ministry of Tourism is, where all tourism services by the end of March must all be licensed and pay taxes, and for those who are not orderly, we will enforce the legal process," he said.

The discipline of tourism businesses in Bali aims to keep Bali from being damaged, and all parties are invited to participate in the discipline framework carried out by the local government.

"With the current pattern, including the growth of villas to houses that function as accommodations with tax-free status and no permits, Bali is losing, while we work hard at high cost, keeping nature clean, keeping culture intact," he said.

Hearing the request, AirBnB South East Asia Public Policy Lead Shanta Arul conveyed a commitment to comply with all regulations in Bali and invited tourism services that joined the application to pay taxes.

He is also ready to socialize all Bali Provincial Government regulations to their partners.

"AirBnB takes this licensing very seriously and we are ready to work with the government," he said.