Bali, Indonesia’s iconic tourist hotspot, has decided to suspend the construction of new hotels and nightclubs temporarily.
According to a report from Indonesia’s Antara news agency, the Bali provincial government has proposed suspending the issuing of permits for new hotels, resorts, nightclubs, and beach clubs in popular areas such as Seminyak, Uluwatu, and Ubud for two years.
The Indonesian Ministry of Marine Investment has also agreed and is currently discussing specific measures, including when to implement the plan.
In a local media interview, Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said that around 200,000 foreigners currently reside in Bali, which has led to various issues such as crime, rampant development, and job shortages. These issues may extend the grace period to as long as ten years.
Bali has been struggling with the challenges posed by a recent surge in tourist arrivals. The Indonesian government reported that in the first half of this year alone, 2.9 million foreign tourists arrived in Bali through the airport, representing 65% of all foreign arrivals in Indonesia.
Many foreign tourists experience discomfort riding motorcycles without helmets or wandering the streets and public places dressed inappropriately. Influencers have even been spotted taking nude photos at Bali’s major sacred sites.
In response to drug trafficking in clubs, the Indonesian government began collecting a tourism tax of 150,000 rupiah (about $10) from foreign tourists visiting Bali in February. They are now considering increasing this amount to five times its current rate and reviewing measures to ban tourists who cause disturbances from entering the country.
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