DENPASAR, Balitopnews.com - The Australian Consulate General (Konjen) in Bali, led by Ms. Jo Stevens and staff had the opportunity to meet with The Governor of Bali Wayan Koster at Jayasabha on Thursday (May 8, 2025). 

On this occasion, Ms. Jo Stevens expressed her full support for Governor Koster's programs and breakthroughs that make Bali tourism sustainable. Moreover, based on 2025 data, Australian visits to Bali reached 1.5 million people per year. Ms. Jo Stevens admitted that her party was actively involved in helping Foreign tourist levies or "tourism levy". Where, the implementation of this policy is regulated in the Bali Provincial Regulation Number 6 of 2023 concerning Levies for Foreign Tourists for the Protection of Bali's Culture and Natural Environment.

"We are also working with the Bali Tourism Office to socialize the Tourism Levy and want to ensure that Bali tourism can develop even better," she said. Ms Jo Stevens said that her party was very interested in maintaining good relations with the province of Bali amidst the high interest of Australian citizens to spend their holidays in Bali, "1.5 million Australians visited Bali in 2024 and this is the highest record in history. So I think our citizens are very happy and really enjoy Bali. Bali is a special place for our citizens," Ms Stevens said.

Consul General Stevens also ensured that she always actively follows the latest developments and information regarding Bali, including the latest rules set by the local government for tourists. "We always emphasize to our citizens what is and is not allowed to be done in Bali. There are rules that we show and emphasize to them to behave well, respect local culture and not cause problems for a pleasant holiday time," she said. Consul Stevens also expressed Australia's intention to continue to improve close long-term cooperation between Australia and Bali. Among them, through educational, tourism and cultural relations. Then, there is a development partnership program and deepening economic involvement. "Because we are aware that Bali is the main destination for our citizens to travel, then also with the large number of our citizen communities in Bali and that shows the importance of Australia's relationship with Bali," she said.

The Governor of Bali Wayan Koster emphasized his commitment to continue improving the quality of Balinese tourism during his second term of leadership. On that occasion, Governor Koster conveyed a number of priorities that are being and will be accelerated to realize quality and culture-based tourism on the Island of the Gods. All adhere to the vision of nangun sat kerhi loka Bali in the 100-year Bali Development Guidelines that have begun in 2025.

"First there is infrastructure, then there is the problem of waste and also the existence of a number of naughty or problematic foreign tourists," Koster said. For infrastructure, for example, Governor Koster admitted that his priority is to build good and effective transportation infrastructure to overcome traffic congestion problems, especially in tourism centers. In addition, of course, the problem of waste has been attempted to be minimized through a policy entitled the Bali Clean Waste Movement with a ban on the use of plastic bottles under 1 liter as one of its concrete steps. Likewise with unscrupulous foreign tourists who in recent times have often been exposed to committing 'naughty' or problematic acts while traveling in Bali, ranging from misuse of tourist visas to work to actions that lead to criminal acts. "We have worked with immigration so that these 'naughty' foreign tourists who use visas not according to their intended use are immediately deported and if criminal, immediately processed legally," Koster said 

In addition, the Governor from Sembiran, Buleleng also re-emphasized his commitment to making Bali independent in energy to overcome problems such as the power outage from outside Bali as happened recently. 'We encourage not only to build power plants in Bali, but also how to use clean, new and renewable energy. This is important to support the tourism industry and the needs of the Balinese people in general, "he explained.

On that occasion, Governor Koster also expressed his gratitude to the Australian Consul General for the many Australians who chose Bali as a tourist destination and spent their holidays so far. The number has even reached almost 1.5 million people in one year. "I even heard a lot that Australian tourists consider Bali as their second home," Governor Koster said. Ending the warm meeting, in addition to giving a Balinese endek cloth to Consul General Stevens, Governor Koster also gave a souvenir in the form of a traditional drink from the Island of the Gods, namely Balinese arak. (Rls/Btnc)