Tourist-dependent Bali attracts millions of foreign visitors annually and the beach-dotted island is trying to capitalise on its popularity to boost its coffers and protect its tropical allure.
“This levy is aimed at the protection of the culture and the environment in Bali,” Bali’s acting governor Sang Made Mahendra Jaya said at a launch ceremony Monday.
The fee will have to be paid electronically through the “Love Bali” online portal and will apply to foreign tourists entering Bali from abroad or from other parts of Indonesia, according to a press release.
The levy will not apply to domestic Indonesian tourists.
Nearly 4.8 million tourists visited Bali between January and November last year, according to official figures, as the island continued to rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic after imposing a zero-tolerance policy on rule-breakers.
The palm-fringed hotspot has…
