Ridiculous won't stop bad tourists because they are usually single people. What it will stop is families who are not bad tourists but won't be able to afford it. Always look forward to your videos Bruce. Thanks

@BrucePohlmann

8 күн бұрын

Thanks Mer and Pit. I appreciate it. Yes, I agree that an increase would quite likely impact families. These kinds of proposals come up fairly regularly but rarely go anywhere after a substantial amount of criticism. Take care.

Hi Bruce. Thanks 4 update on new proposals to levy on tourists. Just saw a video on the Ngurah Rai airport. Beautiful building but what a mess! Tourists walk right by the tax counter. Single people or affluent couples might pay the $75.00 each but will families pay it? Concur with the old Bali, the mystical before social media. Sweat and dance to your heart content in south Bali, just pay us! Don't think young people think about traffic jams as they are full of vigorous energy. Do the protests in Canggu do any good? Looks like construction rules no matter the cost to the environment. Luar biasa! Notice in Denpasar, one can stay in a traditional Bali compound enjoying the daily Balinese social life. Take care.

@BrucePohlmann

8 күн бұрын

Hi Liz. I don't see the additional fees actually happening. This is the usual M.O. Throw something out, get it criticized and then drop it. As long as money and numbers continue to flow in nothing will change. I have noticed more comments on social media from Balinese complaining that their home is being destroyed for money, but that's still a small minority. I thought that the comments during the pandemic about how Bali needs to have a more balanced economy would have some effect, but all that seems to be forgotten. Take care.

Bali appears to be losing it's "perceived value" with the VOA and tourist tax. We are going to Kuala Lumpur this year and while the airfare is more expensive, the perceived value is there due to the longer flight time and not having to pay anything upfront to enter the country. You do pay a 10 Ringgit tourist tax per night on your accommodation, but it's incorporated into the room rate when you pay and effectively invisible if you didn't know about it For us, it will cost roughly AUD$25 for the 8 nights we'll be there in tourist tax levies vs AUD$130 to enter Bali and our 4* accommodation in KL is comparable cost wise to a private pool villa in Seminyak. Kuala Lumpur is a large city with plenty of things to see and do compared to Bali which is where the perceived value once again, comes into effect.

@BrucePohlmann

8 күн бұрын

Thanks, SteelHand for the comparison. It's been a long time since I've been to KL, but I always enjoyed it. You would think that all the tinkering with taxes and fees would impact tourist numbers, but people keep streaming in. I would love to see some demographics on age in addition to nationality. And repeat visitors versus first-timers. Enjoy the vacation in KL. Take care.

Thanks for the latest roundup Bruce. The Pie in the Sky idea of increasing the tourist tax to encourage more well heeled tourists, has had a hole blown in it by the latest viral video of the 'flowers in the water bowl' It occurred at the 5 Star Luxury Hotel in Nusa Dua, The Apurva Kempinski. Greetings from rain free and cool nights in Tuban

@BrucePohlmann

8 күн бұрын

Thanks, Steve. I saw that video, but I wasn't aware where it happened. My initial thought was, "how drunk was this guy?" There's always something it seems. I don't see an increase in fees coming, but it's puzzling why people in authority continue to equate higher costs with "quality" tourists. The rules and laws are already in place to deal with the problematic behaviors, the enforcement is lacking as many people, local and foreign have noted many times. 25 this morning at 7am and still dry here as well. Take care.

hi bruce just came accross your channel a few days ago. kinda interesting. i am an american from florida and know what unrulely visitors are like. we have a month of "spring break" college students every feburary. they are terron though only for 6 weeks. my spouse is indonesian from bogor.we have been together 18 years, married for 9. we are in country every cuople of years. last visit was for the month of october '23 and spent it touring temples on java. we have a houst lot in lovina beach, though i think it is im my sister in law's name. i find that area quite beautiful, along with the rest of bali.. our visits usually start in the south for a few days then that bus ride to lovina . we visit a cousin's family but stay in hotels. can't seem to get the idea of building a house off the ground. when we flew into jakarta in october i paid a $35 visa on arrival fee, but no tourist fee. is the $10 fee that you are talking about only in bali or did it start after october 6? it would be interesting to see how the government could tell a tourist from a local returning home. you could tell be looking at me but not my spouse we both use u.s. passports now.. by the way we both like a restaurant on the beach called "bingtang bali" it is the next main street east of the dolphin statue. thanks for any info that you might be able to give me and keep uo the good work ron lamb

@BrucePohlmann

7 күн бұрын

Thanks, Ron. The tourist tax is only for Bali and is based on passports so if your wife uses a US passport, she would need to pay. It's been in effect since February 2024. Building a house here can be a pain in the butt. We've built several, and I would never do it again. I've been up in the north since I first arrived in Indonesia in 1989. I prefer life up here as it's less crowded and more relaxed. Take care.

@ronaldlamb6304

6 күн бұрын

@@BrucePohlmann hi bruce thanks for the quick reply. when we go to bali we fly in from jacakarta and dont have to go through imagration at the bali airport. is that wher the fee is collected? i dont mind such a small fee, just want to know where and how. we normally travel with an indoneasian bank atm card. do you know if it will it be accepted? lots of questions. glad to have found you. thanks again ron lamb

@BrucePohlmann

5 күн бұрын

@@ronaldlamb6304 Hi Ron. The original plan was to have collection points at both terminals in Bali, but who knows about the domestic terminal these days. If I was doing it, I would just pay online. It seems so much easier. I couldn't tell you about the bank card, but you could always just use it to take some money out of an ATM at the airport. Take care.

Thanks Bruce. The info on the increase of the tourist tax is enough to drive anyone away from Bali. Crazy to think the increase will improve the quality of tourists. The Bali government is only abusing the tourists coming to Bali. As far as bulès behaving badly, Bali will always have them while tourists enter Bali.

@BrucePohlmann

7 күн бұрын

Thanks, Wayne. Yes, I don't know why this idea that a higher tax is going to improve the quality of tourists, but it seems like it won't go away. Unfortunately we will most likely always have tourists who weren't taught how to behave or have forgotten those lessons. Take care.

another comment i would think that tourists would be staying in a hotel room or airbnb, it should be easy to add a $10 tax at check in. if they are moveing arround the island then their first receipt could be used as proof the fee had been paid. just a thought ron lamb

@Ecosse-uz4yh

Күн бұрын

The regulation does provide for collection by 'travel agents, accomodation providers, tourist attraction managers and ship agents' but they have to register for approval through the 'Love Bali' system. I doubt that many will as there's no incentive for them to do so and it would involve a lot of work and record keeping - the whole thing was poorly thought out as usual.

I'm an Australian who lives in Indonesia with a Kitap through my indonesian wife. If we come to Bali for a visit either on international or local flights, do I have to pay a foreign visitor tourism tax?

@merandpitslifeadventure4581

9 күн бұрын

Nope because you have a Kitap

@stujanes

9 күн бұрын

@@merandpitslifeadventure4581 That is what I thought but the talk of these automatic gates detecting whether you have paid or not. As a bule you know I am going to be stopped 😊

@merandpitslifeadventure4581

9 күн бұрын

@@stujanes I would say your Kitap is connected to your passport so it would register in the system.

@stujanes

9 күн бұрын

@@merandpitslifeadventure4581 OK, good point. 👍🏼 So long as the government data system is working. 😁

@BrucePohlmann

8 күн бұрын

Hi Stu. KITAP is exempt, or it was initially. I assume it still is. But since few people seem to be paying the tax, I wouldn't worry about it. Take care.