Bali sets up tourism tax check points to tackle tax evaders
The Bali Provincial Tourism Office is cracking down on tourism tax evaders, who aren’t paying the country’s new mandatory tourism tax.
Bali wants tourism tax to be paid
The Bali Provincial Tourism Office is now setting up check points at various tourist attractions around the country to ensure that tourists are paying the tourism tax.
As reported by Travel News, the new verification process has become necessary since authorities found that about 60% of inbound tourists have not made the payment so far.
“Verification is being done to ensure compliance of foreign tourists in paying PWA, which began to be processed on February 14,” the tourism office said on Instagram.
Although these check points are helping, other restrictions like the absence of auto scanners at airports are said to be one of the root causes of the payment not being made by tourists.
Levy amounts to big bucks
According to Bali authorities, they have already collected a whopping IDR211,8 billion (R244,7 million) since the tourism tax was implemented just over seven months ago.
The US$10 (R188) fee will be used to fund Bali’s cultural heritage as well as be put towards sustainability efforts including coral reef conservation, mangrove rehabilitation and other projects.
In order to pay this tax, tourists will have to make the application payment through the Love Bali website or the app before arrival. A tourism levy voucher will then be emailed, and travellers will need to keep this voucher on their smartphones for scanning at checkpoints at Bali Airport.