Bali mulls levying entry tax on tourists

Bali: Indonesia is going out of its way to ensure that it makes the most out of the tourism industry. The country is mulling over a plan to levy taxes on travellers who visit Bali. The move, which has been viewed as a major hurdle for holidaymakers, comes after authorities launched a crackdown on unruly travellers. Indonesia’s Tourism Ministry said that the tax would help raise funds for carrying out conservation measures in the country including mangrove and coral reef replanting. Sandiaga Uno, the travel minister, said that conservation practices would have a positive impact on the local environment. Nia Niscaya, a deputy for strategic policy at the ministry, said that Indonesia is following in the footsteps of Thailand to impose restrictions on tourists. Bali bans motorbikes for tourists Last month, Bali governor Wayan Koster announced his plans to crack down on foreign tourists who are employed illegally in the country. These measures included a ban on motorbikes for tourists. Koster added that the rule would apply to foreign tourists who ride motorcycles without valid paperwork and helmets or drive recklessly using fake Indonesian ID cards. New sex laws that could potentially hurt tourism Last year, the government in Indonesia introduced and passed a controversial aimed at banning cohabitation and sex outside banning. According to CNN, the law will not only apply to residents but also to foreign nationals in the country. Putu Winastra, chairman of the country’s largest tourism group, the Association of The Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA), said, “From our point of view as tourism industry players, this law will be very counterproductive for the tourism industry in Bali – particularly the chapters about sex and marriage.” Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.