For many years, the Indonesian island of Bali has remained one of the most desirable destinations among lovers of exotic vacations. Moreover, it turned out to be much more affordable in terms of price than many thought. As a result, this paradise corner in the Indian Ocean was very quickly flooded with tourists and settlers of all stripes – and the island could not cope with such flows.
It was finally finished off by the Russians, who flocked to Bali after Russia invaded Ukraine with a war – residents of the occupying country, who had the opportunity to go abroad, continued to go to the island both for a short vacation and for a longer stay. As a result, in the spring of 2023, the governor of the Indonesian island of Bali, Wayan Koster, first proposed to cancel the simplified visa regime for Russians, and later declared his readiness to introduce a quota system for foreign tourists for 100 years. However, this remained in history only in the form of statements.
However, it later became known that from 2024, Bali will introduce a tax for tourists. As of February 14, all foreign visitors entering Bali will have to pay an entry fee of 150,000 Indonesian rupiah (about 9.5 US dollars) per person, plus up to 500,000 rupiah (about 32 dollars) for a 30-day visa to the country, writes the Mirror.
Local officials said the tax was designed to counter over-tourism on the island, which welcomed about 4.5 million holidaymakers last year – roughly the same number as residents.
At the same time, the residents of Bali were often very dissatisfied with the behavior of tourists. In the spring of 2023, after an increase in the number of road accidents involving foreigners, Bali decided to ban tourists from renting motorcycles.
In addition, Indonesia’s immigration department began deporting foreigners who illegally worked on the island on tourist visas.
Also, a new guide for tourists with rules of conduct was presented in Bali. In particular, there are instructions on how to dress and behave in the sacred places and cultural monuments of the island. All because recently the anger of residents has been repeatedly provoked by foreigners who are photographed naked in sacred places. It is noteworthy that Russians especially like such photos – some of them were even deported from Indonesia.