Balinese dancers performing a traditional dance during celebrations marking Indonesia’s 78th Independence day in Bali recently. — AFP
Bali, Indonesia will start charging foreign tourists a levy to visit starting next February, part of broader moves by the tropical island to clean up its tourism scene.
Overseas visitors must pay 150,000 rupiah (RM46) per person for each entry to the island, and the funds will be used to conserve coral reefs, mangroves and other sustainable projects, Tjokorda Bagus Pemayun, head of tourism office, said in an interview recently. The levy must be paid before or at the time of arrival, with the rest of the detail still under discussion, he added.
While Bali’s tourism sector hasn’t fully rebounded from the pandemic, it is already grappling with a deluge of misbehaving visitors that have worsened crime rates and roused the anger of residents. The island has deported hundreds of tourists this year and issued a guide for how they should behave, including how to respect the local customs and rituals.
The crackdown hasn’t hurt foreign arrivals, with tourist numbers rising steadily to nearly half a million in June, more than doubling from a year ago, according to the statistics bureau.
Kenya’s looking for you
Meanwhile, Kenya’s inviting investment to revive its once glorious tourism sector that’s best known for safaris, white sandy beaches and mountain climbing.
Over the years, the industry has dropped to Kenya’s third-biggest foreign-exchange earner – after agriculture and remittances – following periods of political turbulence and terror attacks that marred the East African nation’s image. Under-investment in facilities also left many properties looking dated.
Now the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is pitching investors on projects in game reserves, marine parks and the mountains, restaurants, a convention centre in the capital, Nairobi, and 71 ecolodges.
Investors in tented camps and lodges will receive 20-year renewable leases while those going into restaurants, shops and various experiences can sign 10-year renewable leases, according to an investment prospectus. Private investment is expected to boost the number of beds at KWS properties to 4,872 from 1,841.
“This strategic expansion will significantly enhance Kenya’s allure as a destination,” KWS director-general Erustus Kanga told reporters.
Tourism accounts for 10.4% of Kenya’s gross domestic product and 5.5% of formal employment, KWS said. International visitors jumped 72% last year to 1.48 million, while earnings surged 83% to 268.1 billion shillings (RM8.58bil).
KWS manages 32 game and marine parks, reserves, sanctuaries as well as a wildlife orphanage. About 2.18 million people visited its attractions in 2022, it said. – Bloomberg
