DENPASAR, Bali — Revenue from the Bali tourist levy surged to Rp168 billion (approx. USD 10 million) in the first half of 2025, fueled by rising numbers of international visitors, Governor Wayan Koster revealed on Monday.

“By June, we’ve collected Rp168 billion. That’s an average of Rp933 million per day over 180 days,” Koster said during a press briefing at the Bali Governor’s Office on June 30.

If this momentum continues, the Bali Provincial Government expects total annual revenue from the Pungutan Wisatawan Asing (PWA) — the foreign tourist levy — to hit Rp340 billion. But the governor has set his sights even higher.

“Yen ngidaang (if possible), I want it to reach Rp500 billion,” said Koster.

Regulation Reform and Hotel Collaboration

To support this ambitious goal, Bali has amended its regional regulation to allow legal partnerships with third parties, including hotel operators. The newly signed MoU is expected to take effect starting July 2025.

“If this MoU works as planned, astungkara (God willing), the levy revenue will increase significantly,” added Koster, a senior figure in the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Transparency and Cultural Investment

The new regulation also mandates daily public reporting of levy income and its allocation starting in 2026, Koster said. A major portion of the funds will be channeled to Bali’s traditional villages (desa adat) for cultural and environmental preservation.

“With 1,500 traditional villages, each receiving Rp300 million, that’s Rp450 billion. If we increase the amount to Rp350 million, it adds another Rp75 billion — making it Rp525 billion,” he explained.

The move reflects the provincial government’s commitment to using the Bali tourist levy not just as a revenue stream, but as a tool for sustainable tourism and the protection of Bali’s cultural heritage.