Indonesia's Bali considering increasing Tourism tax levy to deter 'low-class foreign tourists'

[HS-TQE]

Bali Council is looking at increasing the $15USD (150,000 rupiah) Tourist Tax to $70 USD in an attempt to deter 'low-class' foreign tourists e.g "Bogans" from visiting Bali, and to increase the 'quality' of tourists (e.g Getting more Medium/High Yield Leisure Tourists than the current amount of Low Yield/Budget Tourists).

Is Bali sick of misbehaving tourists? Official push for higher tax to attract 'higher quality' visitors - Travel Weekly

Do a quick Google search of Australian or British tourists in Bali and the results aren't flattering. Just yesterday images of a smashed Balinese shopfront were broadcast across the world after an Australian man allegedly smashed up the store in a case of mistaken identity.

travelweekly.com.au

Alternate (Paywall) Source: (i.e the 'Low Class Foreign Tourist' headline) Will Bali adopt Bhutan-style tax to deter ‘low-class foreign tourists’?

 

[kpc]

Even more reason never to return to Bali

 

[JohnK]

Thailand is going through something similar at the moment after trying to increase tourist numbers without concern for quality of tourists.

 

[SCM]

I've never been to Bali, but isn't the whole point that it's a cheap summery-weather resort? If they make it expensive, what is the point to go there? I can just go to the local beach here...

 

[p--and--t]

Stereotypes muchly.... But maybe corrupt officials prefer more rich Russian Mafia types coming in and taking over local businesses etc rather than drunken LCC AU tourists.

I wonder, what do the general local populace prefer?

Tourism can be a great disruption to locals and reduce "quality of traditional life", but a much needed source of revenue when aspiring to lift the population's "standard of living and services".

Damned if you do, Damned if you don't

 

[p--and--t]

Bali Council is looking at increasing the $15USD (150,000 rupiah) Tourist Tax to $70 USD in an attempt to deter 'low-class' foreign tourists e.g "Bogans" from visiting Bali, and to increase the 'quality' of tourists (e.g Getting more Medium/High Yield Leisure Tourists than the current amount of Low Yield/Budget Tourists).

Is Bali sick of misbehaving tourists? Official push for higher tax to attract 'higher quality' visitors - Travel Weekly

Do a quick Google search of Australian or British tourists in Bali and the results aren't flattering. Just yesterday images of a smashed Balinese shopfront were broadcast across the world after an Australian man allegedly smashed up the store in a case of mistaken identity.

travelweekly.com.au

Alternate (Paywall) Source: (i.e the 'Low Class Foreign Tourist' headline) Will Bali adopt Bhutan-style tax to deter ‘low-class foreign tourists’?

Not been there but a neighbour who flies there often alleges nobody checks if you have paid the tax and wasn't aware of it until he read about it. So what's the point?

 

[Quickstatus]

Don't Think that LCC type tourists don't have $$ and that Bali is all they can afford.

Daily tourist "infrastructure" tax - yeah why not.
It can be collected as an entry tax based on outbound and return tickets, or a flat rate based on duration of visa.

The other thing they can do is to require that all tourists have TI before departing their country of origin

 

[Rich]

The other thing they can do is to require that all tourists have TI before departing their country of origin

Why? It would open a minefield and be near impossible to police any sort of minimum standard coverage.

 

[Quickstatus]

minimum standard coverage

Easy enough to set a minimum - unlimited medical coverage with exclusions clearly spelt out

Why?. Because many have an accident requiring serious medical and Medivac without TI and they then use the GFMe "travel insurance". It happens for Tourists to AU as well, however you don't hear about it because the public health systems here treats them for free then writes off the costs and don't chase accounts or they try to and find out the address is fake

 

[jb747]

It has nothing to do with reducing numbers. I wouldn’t expect it to have any effect on numbers until it’s well into the hundreds. But it will swell local coffers, be they official ones or someone’s pocket.

 

[Rich]

Easy enough to set a minimum - unlimited medical coverage with exclusions clearly spelt out

Why?. Because many have an accident requiring serious medical and Medivac without TI and they then use the GFMe "travel insurance". It happens for Tourists to AU as well, however you don't hear about it because the public health systems here treats them for free then writes off the costs and don't chase accounts or they try to and find out the address is fake

I too hate the Go Fund Me brigade, but a lack of travel insurance is not a problem specific to Bali. Only a handful of countries have such a requirement, Singapore being one, but no one asked me to prove anything on arrival last year.
When I visited a hospital in USA I had to settle the bill one way or another at the time. If Australian hospitals are letting overseas visitors get away with fake addresses, they need to do better.

 

[RooFlyer]

The other thing they can do is to require that all tourists have TI before departing their country of origin

One method is to force non residents who arrive to buy local TI from the nominated provider, usually at the arrival point (or maybe bought on-line now-days). This is done in one or two Gulf states, I think. Bali I think would be an excellent place to introduce it.

 

[Cynicor]

I was there last week, and completely forgot there was this tax. Didn’t see anywhere to pay it. Needs to be in the airfare if they want it to happen.

 

[Quickstatus]

One method is to force non residents who arrive to buy local TI from the nominated provider

Would they cover the outbound flight?

 

[Pushka]

I've never been to Bali, but isn't the whole point that it's a cheap summery-weather resort? If they make it expensive, what is the point to go there? I can just go to the local beach here...

It is only $15 right now. Good on them increasing it if it goes to development.

And yes I’ve paid this each time we’ve been.
Bali is very cheap

 

[Quickstatus]

li. Only a handful of countries have such a requirement

They have the right idea

If Australian hospitals are letting overseas visitors get away with fake addresses, they need to do better.

It should not be the hospitals job to chase - their role is healthcare and Australia don't have (and should not have) the culture of "pay first or you don't get emergency healthcare" . A lot easier to require evidence of TI upon entry.

 

[RooFlyer]

Would they cover the outbound flight?

Dunno. What sort of thing?

 

[drron]

They have the right idea

It should not be the hospitals job to chase - their role is healthcare and Australia don't have (and should not have) the culture of "pay first or you don't get emergency healthcare" . A lot easier to require evidence of TI upon entry.

Agreed but some countries have TI that is useless. Back in the bad old days NZ TI was a ripoff. Covered you for cover in a public hospital which their citizens were covered for any way. Hope that has been outlawed. Used to be a problem working in a private hospital.

 

[Rich]

They have the right idea

It should not be the hospitals job to chase - their role is healthcare and Australia don't have (and should not have) the culture of "pay first or you don't get emergency healthcare" . A lot easier to require evidence of TI upon entry.

No we don't want that culture in hospitals, but I still have to present my Medicare card at Emergency. Like any "business" hospitals should still chase money owed to them.
Are fake details a particular problem? I have heard anything about it before. Anyone inclined to give fake details would likely do the same to avoid a TI excess anyway.

 

[Quickstatus]

Covered you for cover in a public hospital which their citizens were covered for any way

NZ has Accident cover for tourists via the Accident compensaqtion corporation in a public hospital - likely paid for by the tax payer.