On 21 September 2026 Governor Wayan Koster told Bali's provincial parliament that eight of the world's largest online travel agents, such as Airbnb, Agoda and Booking.com, had agreed to stop marketing unlicensed villas and tourist accommodation in Badung, Denpasar, Gianyar and Tabanan. He said 5,000 businesses had applied for licences in 2025 and 2026. In the same speech he said 43% of foreign visitors paid the Rp150,000 tourist levy in the first 20 days of September, up from 35% in 2025. This page explains what that means for a guest.
By Alex Moskvin, Founder of SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
Tour on this route: Bali Airport Transfer — From $15 per car, depends on hotel area.
Have Airbnb, Agoda and Booking.com stopped listing unlicensed villas in Bali?
Bali's governor said on 21 September 2026 that eight large online travel agents, such as Airbnb, Agoda and Booking.com, agreed to stop marketing unlicensed villas and tourist accommodation in Badung, Denpasar, Gianyar and Tabanan. The reports quote the governor, give no start date and do not include statements from the platforms.
This guide also answers:
- How can I check that a Bali villa is licensed?
- How much is the Bali tourist levy?
- Why does Bali want unlicensed villas off booking sites?
Top picks from this guide
#1
The 21 September announcement
Governor Koster said the provincial government had called eight of the world's largest online travel agents to talks, and that they agreed to stop marketing unlicensed villas and tourist accommodation in four regencies. ANTARA reported his speech to the Bali parliament. The reports quote the governor, not the platforms, and give no start date and no penalties for platforms or owners.
#2
Four regencies named
These four regencies include Canggu, Seminyak, Kuta, Uluwatu, Nusa Dua, Sanur and Ubud, so the agreement covers many of the best-known visitor areas. The reports do not name Klungkung, which includes Nusa Penida, or Karangasem, Buleleng, Bangli and Jembrana, so we cannot say how listings there are treated.
#3
Checking a villa before you pay
The tourism ministry asked platforms on 30 May to accept only hosts with a business registration number, called NIB. In May the governor said listings should hold at least a regional taxpayer number, called NPWPD. As a guest, you can ask the host for these numbers before you pay, especially if you book outside a platform.
#4
The tourist levy: 43% paid
In the first 20 days of September 2026, 43% of foreign visitors paid the Rp150,000 levy, up from 35% in 2025, the governor said. The province also invited international airlines to remind passengers before take-off, and said sanctions for not paying could not yet be applied. Our tourist levy guide explains how to pay.
What did Bali announce on 21 September 2026?
ANTARA Bali reported on 21 September 2026 on a speech by Governor Wayan Koster to the provincial parliament in Denpasar. According to the report, the provincial government had called eight of the world's largest online travel agents, such as Airbnb, Agoda and Booking.com, to talks, and the agents agreed to stop marketing villas and tourism accommodation without a licence in Badung, Denpasar, Gianyar and Tabanan.
The governor also said that 5,000 business units applied for licences in 2025 and 2026, that licensed hotels of four stars and above reached 80 to 90% occupancy every day, and that hotel and restaurant revenue rose by more than Rp300 billion compared with a year earlier. Bali Expat repeated the story on 28 September and quoted him saying that, because the platforms no longer market unlicensed properties, tourists who book through them are directed to licensed accommodation.
Detik Bali, reporting the same day, quoted the governor saying that unlicensed accommodation and tourism businesses should apply for permits so that they can use digital platforms legally, that the province wants platforms to market only licensed accommodation, restaurants and tourism services, and that oversight of Airbnb will be shared with the central government because the company is based in Singapore. Detik Bali's report does not give the number of applications or the four regencies, so for those parts we rely on ANTARA and Bali Expat.
Two limits matter. The reports quote the governor, not the platforms, so we cannot say how or when each platform will apply the agreement. And they give no start date and no penalties for platforms or owners.
Why is Bali doing this?
Tax and fairness. On 9 May 2026 ANTARA Bali reported the governor saying that about half of the potential hotel and restaurant tax is lost through illegal accommodation booked on digital platforms, and that the platforms may promote only licensed facilities that hold at least a regional taxpayer number. On 30 May the deputy tourism minister said that licensed hotels and villas that pay tax are disadvantaged when illegal accommodation is widely listed, and that her ministry would help owners complete their permits until August 2026.
The platforms have heard the message before. In February 2026 ANTARA Bali quoted the Southeast Asia public policy lead of Airbnb as saying that the company is committed to complying with all regulations in Bali.
| Date in 2026 | What was reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 4 January | The governor says platforms often sell villas and hotels that operate without licences and do not pay tax, and plans to bring them together in one forum | ANTARA Bali, 4 January |
| 12 February | The governor asks Airbnb to remove illegal accommodation and to help collect the foreign tourist levy; Airbnb says it will comply with Bali's regulations | ANTARA Bali, 12 February |
| 9 May | The governor says platforms may promote only licensed facilities, with at least a regional taxpayer number | ANTARA Bali, 9 May |
| 30 May | The deputy tourism minister says the ministry will help owners complete permits until August and asks platforms to accept only merchants with a business registration number | ANTARA Bali, 31 May |
| 21 September | The governor reports that eight large platforms agreed to stop marketing unlicensed villas in four regencies | ANTARA Bali, 21 September; Bali Expat, 28 September |
A timeline of the reports we read, not a complete record of the talks between Bali and the platforms.
What does it mean if you have already booked a villa?
The reports do not say what happens to existing bookings. If you have booked a villa in Badung, Denpasar, Gianyar or Tabanan, keep your confirmation and the host's messages, check a week before you travel that the listing is still active, and ask the host for the licence details described below. If a host cancels or a listing disappears, the platform's own cancellation and refund rules apply, so contact its support first.
We run tours and transfers, not rooms, so we cannot judge a specific listing for you. Whichever stay you pick, our airport transfer is from $15 per car and our private car with driver is from $59 per car; send us the address on WhatsApp. For choosing an area, see where to stay in Bali for the first time.
How can you check that a villa is licensed?
There is no official checklist in the reports, but they point to two numbers and one habit.
- NIB, the business registration number: the tourism ministry said on 30 May that it asks platforms to accept only merchants that hold one.
- NPWPD, the regional taxpayer number: the governor said on 9 May that listings should carry at least this, as proof that the property pays tax to the region.
- The licence itself: ask the host for the licence as well as the numbers. A host with a legal business should be able to answer.
- One habit: keep the booking and the payment on the platform or with an agent you can contact, and keep every message.
These checks do not replace judgement. For other booking traps see our safety and scams guide, and for the full cost picture of a trip see how much a Bali trip costs.
What was said about the tourist levy on the same day?
In the same speech the governor said that 43% of foreign visitors paid the Rp150,000 levy from 1 to 20 September 2026. The rate was 35% in 2025 and 33% from 14 February to December 2024. He said the levy had fallen short of its potential because of payment compliance, stakeholder support, payment obstacles and sanctions that could not yet be applied.
The province also invited international airlines to tell passengers about the Rp150,000 payment, with the standard procedure due to be finished by mid-September. In August the governor had said that all airlines would announce the levy on board before departure on international flights, starting at the end of August (Detik Bali, 14 August). If you fly to Bali, expect the reminder, and pay before you land. Our tourist levy guide explains how to pay it online and what the QR code is for.
| Period | Share of foreign visitors who paid | Amount reported |
|---|---|---|
| 14 February to December 2024 | 33% | Rp318 billion |
| 2025 | 35% | Rp369 billion |
| 2026 (share for 1 to 20 September) | 43% | Rp289 billion up to 20 September; about Rp429 billion estimated for the year |
Figures from the governor's speech of 21 September 2026 as reported by ANTARA Bali; Detik Bali reported the same amounts up to 20 September and the year estimate. The 2026 year estimate adds a projection for October to December.
Where these facts come from
- ANTARA Bali, 21 September 2026: Pemprov Bali catat Pungutan Warga Asing naik jadi 43 persen — the agreement with eight platforms, the four regencies, 5,000 applications, occupancy, levy figures and airlines, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Bali Expat, 28 September 2026: 5,000 Bali Villa Businesses Apply for Licenses as OTA Rules Tighten — the same announcement in English and the governor's remark about licensed accommodation, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Detik Bali, 21 September 2026: Kunjungan Turis ke Bali Stabil meski Banyak Hotel-Vila Dijual — the governor on licensed accommodation, Airbnb oversight and the levy figures up to 20 September, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Detik Bali, 14 August 2026: Koster: Maskapai Akan Umumkan soal PWA Sebelum Takeoff ke Bali — airlines to announce the levy on board before departure, retrieved 2 November 2026
- ANTARA Bali, 9 May 2026: Gubernur Koster beri syarat Online Travel Agent promosikan hotel, apa saja? — licensed facilities only, the regional taxpayer number and the estimate of lost tax, retrieved 2 November 2026
- ANTARA Bali, 31 May 2026: Wamenpar: Penindakan akomodasi ilegal di OTA demi keadilan — the deputy tourism minister, help with permits until August and the business registration number, retrieved 2 November 2026
- ANTARA Bali, 12 February 2026: Gubernur Bali minta AirBnB coret akomodasi ilegal — the governor's request to Airbnb and Airbnb's answer, retrieved 2 November 2026
- ANTARA Bali, 4 January 2026: Gubernur Bali agendakan panggil biro perjalanan online yang kerap jual penginapan ilegal — the plan to bring the platforms together and the tax point, retrieved 2 November 2026
- Tour prices from SB Excursions tour pages, November 2026
FAQ
Have Airbnb, Agoda and Booking.com stopped listing unlicensed villas in Bali?
Bali's governor said on 21 September 2026 that eight large online travel agents, such as Airbnb, Agoda and Booking.com, agreed to stop marketing unlicensed villas and tourist accommodation in Badung, Denpasar, Gianyar and Tabanan. The reports quote the governor, give no start date and do not include statements from the platforms.
Can I still book a villa in Canggu or Ubud on a booking site?
Yes, licensed ones. Canggu is in Badung and Ubud is in Gianyar, both among the four regencies named. Listings without a licence are the ones the platforms agreed to stop marketing.
What happens to my booking if the villa turns out to be unlicensed?
The reports do not say. Keep your confirmation and messages, ask the host for the licence details, and contact the platform if the listing is removed or the host cancels.
How can I check that a Bali villa is licensed?
Ask the host for the business registration number (NIB) and the regional taxpayer number (NPWPD). The tourism ministry asked platforms on 30 May to accept only merchants with an NIB, and the governor said on 9 May that listings should hold at least an NPWPD.
How much is the Bali tourist levy?
Rp150,000 per foreign visitor. On 21 September 2026 the governor said 43% of foreign visitors paid it in the first 20 days of September, up from 35% in 2025. Our tourist levy guide explains how to pay online before you fly.
Does the villa agreement apply to Nusa Penida, Amed or Lovina?
The reports name only Badung, Denpasar, Gianyar and Tabanan. Nusa Penida is in Klungkung, Amed is in Karangasem and Lovina is in Buleleng, and the reports do not say how listings there are treated.
Why does Bali want unlicensed villas off booking sites?
Tax and fairness. The governor said on 9 May that about half of the potential hotel and restaurant tax is lost through illegal accommodation sold on digital platforms, and the deputy tourism minister said on 30 May that licensed owners who pay tax are disadvantaged.
Recommended Bali tours for this guide
Bali Airport Transfer
Airport transfers are not glamorous, but they have an outsized impact on how the trip starts. A clean pickup, clear driver coordination, and direct route to the hotel make a huge difference after a long flight.
- Duration
- Depends on hotel area
- Area
- Ngurah Rai Airport and Bali hotel areas
- Format
- Private transfer service
- Best for
- New arrivals and stress-free departures
From $15 per car No prepayment
View tour
Private Car with Driver in Bali
This is one of the most useful products in Bali because so many plans become easier once transport is flexible. It is perfect for custom sightseeing, shopping days, family pacing, and travelers who already know roughly where they want to go.
- Duration
- Flexible daily use
- Area
- All major Bali regions
- Format
- Private transport service
- Best for
- Travelers who want total route flexibility
From $59 per car No prepayment
View tour
Ubud Rice Terrace, Temple & Volcano Tour
This private Ubud and Kintamani day tour is built for travelers who want Bali culture, scenery, and soft adventure without planning the route or doing the driving. It works especially well for first-time visitors because the route moves from craft villages and temples to volcano views, rice terraces, and the Ubud center in one organized flow.
- Duration
- 10 hours
- Area
- Kintamani, Ubud, and central Bali
- Format
- Private day tour by car
- Best for
- First-time Bali visitors
From $65 per car No prepayment
View tour