Bali Provincial Government Imposes Early Stage Wisman Charges At Airports And Benoa

ILLUSTRATION/Pantai Melasti Badung Bali/DOK ANTARA

DENPASAR - The Bali Provincial Government imposed levies on foreign tourists (tourists) for the initial stage at the international arrivals of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport and Benoa Port starting February 14, 2024.

"Our initial target is to focus on international arrivals at the Benoa airport and Port," said Head of the Tourism Marketing Division of the Bali Provincial Tourism Office, Ida Ayu Indah Yustikarini, Wednesday, February 7.

Currently, he continued, the foreign tourist levy system has not been prepared if they transit in other areas in Indonesia and enter Bali through domestic arrivals.

Similar conditions apply when foreign tourists enter Bali by land, namely at Gilimanuk Port and Padangbai Port. "We have not provided domestic and land arrivals at Gilimanuk Port," he added.

For foreign tourists entering through Benoa Port, namely cruise ship tourists, he continued, his party has collaborated with cruise ship agents.

He revealed that all foreign tourists who board cruise ships at Benoa Port, both those who disembark to land and only on cruise ships, are still subject to a levy of IDR 150 thousand per person.

According to him, initially the Bali Provincial Government planned to wear foreign tourists who got off the cruise ship.

"Initially, the Bali Provincial Government wanted to impose on foreign tourists who just got off, but one of the cruise ship operators asked all passengers to be charged not to make it difficult for them, who got off, who didn't. Later they will deposit levies into accounts at Bank BPD Bali," he said.

The Bali Provincial Government began to apply foreign tourist levies of Rp. 150,000 per person on February 14.

The legal basis for levies for foreign tourists in Bali is Law Number 15 of 2023 concerning the Province of Bali, then the derivative rule, namely Regional Regulation Number 6 of 2023 concerning levies for foreign tourists for cultural protection and the Balinese natural environment, as the legal basis for the levy.

The regional regulation states that foreign tourists' levies have the aim of protecting customs, traditions, cultural arts and local wisdom of the Balinese people.

Then, the breeding and maintenance of culture and the natural environment which is the attraction of tourism in Bali, improving the quality of service and implementing Balinese cultural tourism and becoming a guideline in the implementation and management of levies for foreign tourists.

Meanwhile, the provisions regarding the procedure for payment of levies for foreign tourists are further regulated in Bali Governor Regulation (Pergub) Number 36 of 2023.