Bali Tourism Office Review Proposed Increase In Tariffs For Foreign Tourist Charges

ILLUSTRATION/Pantai Melasti Badung Bali/DOK ANTARA

The Bali Tourism Office (Dispar) conducted a study of the tariff on foreign tourist levies (tourists) proposed to be increased by members of the Bali DPRD.

"Yesterday we made a regional regulation with this nominal, there was a study and the calculation was why the number appeared, so the DPRD's proposal would certainly be our concern for us to review it again," said Head of Bali Tourism Office Tjok Bagus Pemayun as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, June 20.

Previously, the Chairman of Commission II of the Bali DPRD I Gede Komang Kresna Budi suggested that the tariff on foreign tourists increase from 10 US dollars or equivalent to Rp. 150,000 to 50 US dollars or Rp. 750,000 (exchange rate of Rp. 15,000 per dollar).

The council assessed that this increase was aimed at selecting tourists who entered and avoided the term Bali cheap destination, besides that levies could be allocated to the police and immigration who helped carry out this policy.

Dispar Bali conveyed that the policy of collecting foreign tourists which had only been going on for 3 months had not yet been evaluated, even today starting from February 14 they have only pocketed IDR 124 billion or not equivalent to the number of foreign tourists entering Bali.

"Those who have paid around 40 percent, this is not a proper or inappropriate problem, but we will study it not directly, there must be a study first," he said.

According to him, there are still foreign tourists who escape this obligation because the government does not install automatic scanning tools at the airport, where initially planned in the regulations but changed because there is no land that allows the installation of tools.

In addition to reviewing the proposed increase in foreign tourists levies so that those who come are quality tourists, Dispar Bali also responds to proposals for the distribution of incentives for helping institutions, because the Bali Provincial Regulation Number 6 of 2023 concerning Charges for Foreign Tourists is designed for cultural protection and the natural environment.

"Whatever the proposal, we will review it again, because we have to change the regional regulation, because the allocation is for the environment and culture," he continued in response to the wishes of members of the Bali DPRD so that immigration and the police get a share.