As one of the most beautiful islands in the world, Bali is famous for its lush beaches, ancient temples, and UNESCO-listed rice terraces.

But its world-renowned beauty has also created problems, as the island struggles to cope with overtourism.

According to Indonesian government figures, Bali, the country's most visited island, welcomed 5.7 million foreign visitors in 2017. Final numbers for 2018 haven't been released yet, but they're believed to be significantly higher.

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Many of these visitors left waste behind, including single-use plastic, much of which ended up in landfills or washed up on once-pristine beaches.

Bali Weighs Introducing a Tourist Tax — photo 1

While tourism brings money into the community, it can also overwhelm local sanitation resources and contribute to erosion and environmental damage.

The way overtourism has affected the local community was explored in an episode of "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown" that aired in October 2018.

But there's one possible solution.

The Jakarta Post reports that Bali's regional government has drafted a bill imposing a $10 tax on foreign tourists, collected when they leave the country.

Bali Weighs Introducing a Tourist Tax — photo 2

"Tourists come to enjoy our environment and culture. Why not contribute to preserving them?" says I Nyoman Adi Wiryatama, speaker of Bali's provincial parliament.

Before making the decision, the School of Hospitality and Tourism at Bali's Udayana University ran a study asking international visitors whether they'd be willing to contribute financially to preserving the island. Sixty percent of them said yes.

And Indonesia isn't the only country experimenting with a fee like this.

Japan recently voted to introduce a "departure tax" for foreign travelers. The fee comes to 1,000 yen, or about $9, and will go toward the cost of building and maintaining tourism infrastructure. The tax took effect in January 2019 and applies to visitors leaving by air or sea.

Bali Weighs Introducing a Tourist Tax — photo 3

In December 2018, the Taj Mahal raised ticket prices and limited how long visitors can spend at the site as a form of "crowd control" to manage the popular destination.

Visitors who spend just a day in Venice, Italy, such as those arriving on cruise ships, are charged a tax of around $11 to visit the city, a levy introduced to offset lost hotel revenue.

European cities like Dubrovnik and Barcelona have brought in similar measures. And others are likely to follow.