During a meeting on Wednesday, 11 February 2026, with Airbnb’s regional management, Bali Governor Wayan Koster called on the global booking platform that connects tourists coming to Bali to comply with Bali Provincial Government regulations.
The Governor’s call is part of Wayan Koster’s overall efforts to establish a tourism governance system that is high-quality, dignified, and culture-based.
The meeting convened at the Governor’s office between the Governor and Airbnb’s Singapore-based Southeast Asia management team, Shanta Arul (Public Policy Lead, SEA), Ishwinder Kaur (Public Policy Manager), and Matius Roland (Senior Associate), saw the Island’s Governor demand that Airbnb exercise strict oversight when promoting villas or tourism services in Bali by verifying the validity of the businesses’ operating permits and compliance with tax rules and regulations.
Airbnb Promises Not to Feature Bali Villas Who Fail to Pay Taxes
“If they (Bali villas) are not compliant, I expect those villa and tourism service operators to be removed from Airbnb’s digital platform,” Governor Koster demanded. He also invited Airbnb to collaborate with the Bali Provincial Government’s digital platform, “Love Bali”—which is facilitating the Provincial Administration’s efforts to increase the collection of the Foreign Tourist Levy (PWA) and other services.
Koster said that under his leadership, he welcomes anyone wishing to do business in Bali, provided they adhere to government regulations and share responsibility for maintaining the quality of Bali’s tourism. “It is unfair to place the entire burden of maintaining tourism quality on the Provincial Government, regency/city administrations, and the people of Bali if those profiting from tourism do nothing for the island. If Bali is denied fairness, nature itself will intervene to ensure equity in the island’s governance,” Governor Koster declared.
Accompanied by the Heads of the Bali Tourism Office and the Bali Communication, Informatics, and Statistics Office, Koster continued: “Therefore, I urge Airbnb to ensure that villa operators and other tourism service providers in Bali possess the necessary permits and are tax-compliant before being featured in their promotions. They must also adhere to the policy directives of the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism, which mandate that all tourism services be fully licensed and tax-compliant by the end of March…For those that fail to comply, I expect Airbnb to take action and remove them from its digital promotional listings. Furthermore, we will initiate legal proceedings against non-compliant operators.”
Wayan Koster noted that enforcing compliance among tourism businesses in Bali is essential to protecting the island from degradation. Warning that if Bali suffers damage, its tourism image will be tarnished, and visitor numbers will plummet. “We are working hard to manage Bali’s tourism sustainably. Therefore, all parties must participate in the regulatory enforcement efforts led by the Bali Provincial Government before the island is ruined,” Koster stated.
In closing, Governor Koster affirmed that he would take firm action to ensure the sustainability of Bali’s tourism industry. Current trends—including the proliferation of villas and private homes operating as unlicensed, tax-evading tourist accommodations—are causing losses for Bali, even as the government invests heavily in preserving the island’s environment and culture. “Remember, without Balinese culture, there would be no tourism here. If Bali’s tourism sector fails to thrive, no business can survive on the island,” he concluded.
Airbnb Responds to the Governor
Responding to the Governor’s directives, Airbnb—represented by Shanta Arul, Public Policy Lead for Southeast Asia —expressed a commitment to complying with all Bali government regulations and encouraged tourism service providers to pay their taxes. The company also pledged to help disseminate the Bali Provincial Government’s regulations to its partners. “Airbnb takes these licensing requirements very seriously, and we are ready to collaborate with the government,” she said.
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