Indonesia Tourism Fund, How It Sparks Controversy in the Country?

The Indonesian government is planning to issue a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) to establish the Indonesia Tourism Fund to realize the tourism endowment fund this year. Anggara Hayun Anujuprana, Director of Financing Access at the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry, stated that the Presidential Regulation is currently in inter-ministerial harmonization. According to Hayun, one funding source for the Indonesia Tourism Fund will be through tourism levies.

Hayun explained that the levy will involve an additional charge—either a specific amount or a percentage—applied to the visa fees or other costs associated with foreign visitors entering Indonesia. The minister in charge of legal and human rights affairs will determine the specific amount for the tourism levy based on recommendations from the ministers responsible for finance and tourism. In addition to the tourism levy, the fund will also be sourced from the national budget, regional budgets, investment returns, and other funding sources.