Bali lawmakers press Koster over shortfall and oversight in foreign tourist levy

Denpasar — The Gerindra-PSI faction in the Bali Provincial Legislature has urged Governor Wayan Koster to tighten oversight of the foreign tourist levy, warning that gaps in monitoring, especially for visitors entering via domestic routes, risk undermining revenue from the Rp150,000 charge on international travelers.

The call was delivered by faction chair Gede Harja Astawa during a plenary session of the Bali Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) on Monday, 14 September 2026, as lawmakers presented their general views on a draft revision to the 2026 regional budget.

According to Harja, oversight of the Pungutan Wisatawan Asing (PWA) must be integrated so that foreign tourists cannot slip through the system when they travel to Bali via domestic routes inside Indonesia. He asked the provincial government to ensure that monitoring and data integration across agencies are strong enough to prevent leakage in levy collection.

The faction also questioned why PWA collections in 2025 fell short of the Rp500 billion target set in the revised regional budget, and asked the executive to explain both the basis for that target and the causes of the shortfall. BaliPost reported that the realization for 2025 was around Rp369.02 billion, or about 73.8 percent of the Rp500 billion revised target.

The levy itself is set at Rp150,000 per foreign visitor per trip, and is collected as an additional provincial revenue stream to support environmental protection, cultural preservation and other development programs. Local reports note that the charge has become one of Bali’s key new income sources, even as officials acknowledge compliance challenges and the need for stronger oversight.

Faction presses for transparency and realistic targets

Beyond monitoring, the Gerindra-PSI faction has called for more detailed transparency over how PWA funds are used and how collection targets are determined. Harja asked the provincial administration to spell out which programs and activities are financed by the levy, and to separate PWA revenue and spending clearly from other budget items so the public can easily track the flow of funds.

BaliPost and other local outlets reported that the faction is concerned the current presentation of PWA finances remains unclear and could create “grey areas” in public perception. The lawmakers argued that future targets should reflect realistic collection potential and the government’s actual capacity to administer and enforce the levy, including through better coordination of data and monitoring systems.

Harja stressed that the criticism was part of the legislature’s democratic oversight role and not an expression of hostility toward the provincial administration. He said the faction supports policies that benefit the community, environment and local wisdom, but will continue to highlight issues where improvements are needed, including around PWA and broader budget management.

Governor pledges stronger oversight of levy revenues

Governor Koster responded to the factions’ views in a subsequent plenary session on 15 September 2026, praising the submissions from DPRD members as constructive, critical and clearly directed, and saying they would help refine the government’s response to the proposed budget revisions.

According to BaliPost and RRI, Koster said the provincial government would continue to strengthen systems for managing and supervising regional revenues, including retributions and the foreign tourist levy. He emphasized that all receipts must be accountable and directed to programs that benefit the public while supporting environmental sustainability and the preservation of Balinese culture.

In his remarks, Koster underlined the importance of improved oversight and verification of program implementation so that reports accurately reflect conditions and achievements in the field. However, local coverage of the session did not detail a specific new monitoring mechanism or provide a timetable for changes to PWA collection.

Shortfall adds pressure on Bali’s tourism levy

Data cited by BaliPost indicate that while PWA receipts have grown as the levy matures, Bali has struggled to meet more ambitious targets. The province recorded PWA revenue of around Rp317 billion in 2024 against a target of Rp250 billion, but when the target was raised to Rp500 billion in 2025, realization reached about Rp369 billion, or roughly three-quarters of the goal.

Analyses by local media and research institutes note that the Rp150,000 levy, introduced as a way to capture additional value from foreign tourism, still faces challenges related to compliance and monitoring, especially when tourists enter Indonesia through other gateways and continue to Bali on domestic flights. These concerns underpin the Gerindra-PSI faction’s demand for stronger oversight and more transparent reporting around the levy.

Sources

• detikBali
• BaliPost
• Bali Konten
• IDN Research Institute
• RRI Denpasar