The Indonesian province of Bali, one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, is considering adopting a tourism policy similar to Bhutan’s. They are planning to introduce a daily tourist fee to manage the growing number of visitors and its adverse impacts. As Bali considers implementing a daily tourism levy identical to Bhutan’s Sustainable Development Fee (SDF), Bhutanese tourism officials are expressing appreciation for Bali’s interest in this sustainable tourism approach.
Bhutan currently imposes a daily SDF of 100 US dollars per night. This is a fifty percent discount on its original SDF of 200 USD. The discount will be given till the end of august 2027 and is meant to increase the tourist numbers and bring it back to the pre-covid times. The fee is intended to contribute towards environmental sustainability, infrastructure development, and cultural preservation.
While the two sides have not held any official discussion regarding this potential policy adoption by Bali, Bhutanese officials believe that Bali’s interest stems from the global recognition of Bhutan’s unique approach.
Damcho Rinzin, Director of Department of Tourism said “We are happy that Bali has found value in the tourism policy of Bhutan and if they are planning to adopt some of the policy provisions of Bhutan, we hope and wish them good luck because the “high-value, low-volume” tourism policy is all about regenerative tourism that is bringing positive impacts to the lives of people, communities and the country.”
According to international media reports, although Bali is one of the world’s most sought-after destinations, the influx of tourists has brought challenges such as overcrowding, traffic congestions, and incidents of unruly behaviour.
Currently, Bali charges a one-time tourist levy tax of around ten US dollars per tourist, which came into effect from February, last year.
However, according to The Bali Sun, a Bali-based news firm, many international tourists were not paying the tourism levy tax.
Officials are now considering a shift towards a system like Bhutan where visitors pay a fixed daily fee to ensure their presence directly benefits the local economy.
International media reported that Bali’s governor proposed a tourism quota in 2023 to help control the growing number of tourists, however, the quota was never implemented.
Media reports state that by adopting a daily fee, Bali aims to promote sustainable tourism practices and mitigate the negative impacts associated with mass tourism.
Deki Lhazom
Edited by Tshering Zam
