Explore Solutions to Combat Illegal Levies in the Tourism Industry

TheIndonesia.co - The Ministry of Tourism, alongside other key ministries, will establish a dedicated team to address illegal levies at tourist sites.

According Antara News Agency, this was confirmed by Rizki Handyani Mustafa, the ministry’s deputy for industry and investment, during the National Conference of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) held in Bogor on Tuesday.

Mustafa highlighted that illegal levies are still being reported at various tourist attractions across the country. To combat this issue, the ministry has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the police.

She further noted that tourism offices must enter into similar agreements with the Regional Police in their respective regions to strengthen enforcement efforts.

"We are coordinating with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance to support this initiative," Mustafa explained.

In addition, tourism industry associations such as the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (IPHRI) and the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI) are expected to play an active role in the efforts to eliminate illegal levies at tourist destinations.

Mustafa emphasized that effective law enforcement and educational campaigns are crucial in raising public awareness about the detrimental effects of illegal levies and working toward their eradication.

Hariyanto, Deputy for Destination and Infrastructure Development at the Ministry of Tourism, explained that these illegal charges arise from the public’s limited understanding of the sustainability of tourism businesses. He stressed the need for continued law enforcement and public education to tackle the problem.

"One of our immediate steps is ensuring collaboration with law enforcement, especially the police, to address these issues," Hariyanto concluded.