Bali's tourist levy receipts reach Rp289bn by 20 September

In brief: Bali's governor reported roughly Rp289 billion in foreign tourist levy revenue as of 20 September 2026. He also said 43% of foreign visitors paid during 1–20 September, a narrower measure than the full-year figures used for comparison.

The figures were presented to Bali's provincial legislature in Denpasar on 21 September and subsequently reiterated by the provincial Tourism Department on 25 September. They describe the collection of an existing charge. No new levy rate was announced in the September briefing.

The 43% figure is a September snapshot

Governor Wayan Koster put the payment rate for the first 20 days of September at approximately 43%. His comparison was the 35% rate reported for 2025 as a whole. That suggests a stronger collection performance in the September window, but it is not a like-for-like comparison of two complete years. Nor does the figure establish how many visitors paid across all of 2026.

The province has been working with international airlines and travel-booking businesses to explain the levy earlier in the journey and encourage payment before arrival. Better payment coverage matters to the administration because the charge already exists, yet many eligible visitors have historically not paid it. The new figures do not alter the legal obligation for an individual traveller.

Rp289 billion received is different from Rp429 billion expected

Receipts of about Rp289 billion represent the amount reported as collected by 20 September, not the province's eventual annual total. For context, officials put full-year 2025 receipts at Rp369 billion. The two numbers cover different lengths of time and should not be presented as a year-on-year decline.

Koster projected that collections could reach about Rp429 billion by the end of 2026 if anticipated payments materialised. Approximately Rp140 billion of that projected total was still in the future at the September reporting date. A forecast is helpful for understanding the budget discussion, but it cannot be counted as money already in the provincial treasury.

The levy is intended to support Bali's cultural and environmental protection, alongside improvements in tourism management. Neither the 43% rate nor the revenue total identifies expenditure on a particular beach, village or infrastructure scheme. Such claims require separate spending records.

Travellers still face the existing Rp150,000 charge

Bali introduced its foreign tourist levy on 14 February 2024. The provincial Tourism Department says the fee remains Rp150,000 per eligible visitor, payable once during a trip to Bali. It can be paid through the official Love Bali system before travel or through authorised payment arrangements after arrival. Travellers should keep their payment confirmation and remember that the provincial levy is separate from their immigration requirements.

Not every foreign national is necessarily liable. Love Bali's official guidance lists holders of temporary and permanent stay permits, KITAS and KITAP, among the exempt groups; some other visa categories require an exemption application. People living in Indonesia should therefore establish which rule applies to their actual immigration status instead of assuming that the same tourist procedure covers everyone.

For an accommodation operator, the September announcement is a reason to explain an existing visitor expense clearly, not a new property tax. Likewise, higher levy receipts do not establish stronger rental returns. Revenue collection and accommodation performance are distinct measures.

• Bali Provincial Tourism Department — “Tingkatkan Pemahaman tentang PWA, Dinas Pariwisata Provinsi Bali Gelar Webinar Selasa Pariwisata,” 25 September 2026.
• ANTARA Bali — “Pemprov Bali catat Pungutan Warga Asing naik jadi 43 persen,” 21 September 2026.
• Love Bali — official foreign tourist levy FAQ, publication date not stated.