Acting Governor Of Bali Proposes Foreign Tourist Levy Money To Be Used To Handle Waste

Acting Governor of Bali Sang Made Mahendra Jaya when meeting with the ranks of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy discussed the levy of foreign tourists in Denpasar, Tuesday (26/9/2023). BETWEEN/Ho-Pemprov Bali

DENPASAR - Acting (Pj) Bali Governor Sang Made Mahendra Jaya conveyed that foreign tourist levies that will take effect from February 14, 2024 will be used primarily to deal with waste problems.

This was conveyed by Sang Made to the ranks of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf).

"The handling of waste will be the focus of using the funds generated from foreign tourist levies," he said, Tuesday, September 26.

This is done because foreign tourists who come to the Island of the Gods during their vacation will certainly produce waste that must be managed properly, so that there is no smell or environmental damage that has an impact on comfort while traveling.

In addition to handling waste, the Rp150 thousand per foreign tourist levy will also be used to preserve Balinese culture, so that with these two things, it is hoped that Bali as a world tourism destination will be maintained, not only its environment but also its culture.

"These foreign tourists already have a legal umbrella in the form of governor regulations and regional regulations and regional regulations, and will be implemented in 2024," he said.

Socialization is very important, not only related to the levy procedures but also its use must be known, thus foreign tourists will understand that this levy in its use will prioritize transparency and focus on handling waste and preserving culture.

To the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, he also asked for support in the form of encouragement to the creative industry, both marketing, packaging, and improving product quality so that MSMEs on the Island of the Gods can continue to grow as tourism develops.

Responding to the policy of levies on foreign tourists, Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Ni Wayan Giri Adnyani responded with full support, where his party will help socialize this policy.

The application of this levy must be socialized as early as possible and continuously so that tourists are not surprised. For this reason, it is necessary to prepare the right narrative, clear procedures and the use of transparent funds," said Giri.

For the use of the money, he also agreed to focus on handling waste to create a comfortable tourist destination, accompanied by a culture that remains sustainable that distinguishes it from other regions.

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy also admitted that it supports the development of the creative industry in Bali by routinely providing guidance to MSME players in the form of product packaging and marketing training.