Bali deepens airline and OTA cooperation to raise foreign tourist levy compliance

Denpasar — Bali’s governor has announced that the provincial administration is strengthening cooperation with international airlines and major online travel agencies to increase compliance with the island’s Rp150,000 foreign tourist levy, after reporting that payment rates have risen to around 43 percent of foreign arrivals as of 20 September 2026.

Governor Wayan Koster detailed the latest figures and outreach strategy in a statement in Denpasar on 21 September 2026, saying that the compliance rate has climbed from about 35 percent in 2025 to roughly 43 percent this year.

According to his remarks, the improvement is linked to expanded collaboration with airlines operating international routes to Bali and a number of online travel platforms.

The provincial government is working with international carriers to display information about the levy on digital channels and, in some cases, to include announcements about the obligation to pay the levy before departure to Bali.

Koster said the process of formalising cooperation with airlines is complex because each company follows its own international standards and operational procedures, but he indicated that material on the levy is already being shared through some airline digital platforms.

The governor also highlighted efforts to involve online travel agencies and accommodation platforms in the compliance push.

These platforms are being encouraged not only to inform foreign customers about the Rp150,000 levy but also to list and promote accommodation that holds proper permits from local authorities.

The foreign tourist levy, sometimes referred to locally as Pungutan Wisatawan Asing and marketed through the Love Bali platform, is set at Rp150,000 per eligible foreign visitor.

It is a provincial charge intended to support the protection of Bali’s culture and environment and the management of tourism, and it is collected independently from Indonesian visa fees or national arrival procedures.

Foreign tourists can pay the levy online via the official Love Bali portal or app using cashless methods such as cards, bank transfer or QRIS, or at designated counters at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport and Tanjung Benoa harbour.

The governor’s latest update underscores the administration’s focus on raising the share of foreign visitors who pay the levy before or during their stay, particularly by reaching them through airlines and the online booking and accommodation platforms they already use in planning trips to Bali.

Bali officials have previously described cooperation with immigration authorities, airlines and international travel agents as key to making information about the levy more visible to prospective visitors and encouraging payment ahead of arrival.

By intensifying these partnerships, the provincial government aims to lift compliance further in the coming months and increase revenue available for cultural and environmental programmes linked to tourism.

Sources

• BALIPOST.com
• Datumbali
• TotallyBali
• Detik Bali