In a file under: huh? Just a year on from its anti-sex laws, Bali is once again finding its way into the travel spotlight for reasons other than eating, praying, loving, or being the truly beautiful, kind and fun destination to visit. I love this island and nearby islands but they just don’t make it easy.
The latest kerfuffle is that Balinese Government is upset that circa 60% of visitors aren’t paying the supposedly mandatory visitor fee or tourist tax.
Unlike other destinations which might simply find a way to digitally or physically make it impossible to pass through immigration and enter the island without paying, the island’s leaders think the best move is to simply threaten jail or bigger fines.
Bali Visitor Fee: What The What?
In February, 2024, Bali theoretically began charging a visitor fee. The fee runs 150,000IDR, which is about $10USD and therefore equivalent to many ESTA or ETA fees charged by other countries to pay for infrastructure or offset the impact of visitors.
If you’ve been and didn’t know, you’re far from alone.
The problem is that it’s not currently a pre-requisite to show before travel, nor do officers at immigration on arrival demand proof. The visitor fee isn’t see as under their purview and in most cases, hotels haven’t been asked for proof at check in.
The only physical place to pay the fee is a practically hidden kiosk behind some desks at the Ngurah Rai International Airport, which most passengers will simply pass, without ever seeing.
The only other way people would even know the fee exists at all, is if they download the LoveBali app before travel – also not mandatory – where they have the opportunity to pay the fee, in a clunky payment flow.
So, rather than just simply fix these passenger flows, the Bali Sun is reporting that the local government is interested in teasing the threat of jail.
Jail Or Fines For Non-Payment Of Hidden Fee
The Bali Tourism Tax Levy remains virtually unknown to many visitors and airlines have no responsibility to ensure its been collected in advance of travel, unlike the ESTA in the USA and other “e-visa” type solutions.
This is simply a local tax that sounds real but hasn’t been enforced and toward the end of the year the island threatened to change that, and will now act on that threat.
“If there are no sanctions, no, we can’t do anything if they don’t pay. In the future, there will be sanctions with a minimum penalty of ten times (the tourism tax fee) or a week of imprisonment; they must pay.”
– Sang Made Mahendra, Acting Governor of Bali
The next proposed step is to work more closely with hotels and tourism providers to ensure all visitors are well aware of the tourism tax and enforce payment.
So there’s your warning! If you are heading to Bali this year, be aware that although rumors and indeed real practice historically meant you did not need to pay this circa $10 tourism tax, you will need to going forward. The best way to pay the visitor fee is in advance of travel using the LoveBali app. No one wants to go to jail in Bali for missing hidden taxes.
