The Governor of Bali has insisted that recently passed laws criminalising extra-marital sex in Indonesia will not impact upon foreign visitors or sporting spectators ©Getty Images

Overseas visitors planning to spend their holidays or to attend sporting events in Indonesia, including next year's Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games, have been reassured they should not be concerned about a controversial new law which criminalises sex outside of marriage.

Wayan Koster, the Governor of Indonesia’s prime tourist destination of Bali, which is due to host the second edition of the ANOC World Beach Games, issued a statement clarifying the new law - due to take effect in three years’ time - and its potentially devastating effect on the country’s tourism industry, eturbonews reports.

There are concerns that it might also impact Indonesia's possible bid for the 2036 Olympics and Paralympics, something referred to earlier this month by Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) President Raja Sapta Oktohari.

According to Governor Koster, foreign visitors planning to spend their holidays or to attend one of the numerous international sporting events held in Indonesia - which hosted the 2018 Asian Games,  should not be concerned about being affected by a new law banning sex outside of marriage.

He said the extramarital sex ban will not apply to foreign tourists, as only those against whom a parent, spouse, or child file a complaint will be subject to prosecution.

There are concerns that the newly approved law criminalising extra-marital sex might impact tourism and sports development, including Indonesia's possible bid for the 2036 Olympics and Paralympics, something referred to earlier this month by Indonesian Olympic Committee President Raja Sapta Oktohari ©Getty Images
There are concerns that the newly approved law criminalising extra-marital sex might impact tourism and sports development, including Indonesia's possible bid for the 2036 Olympics and Paralympics, something referred to earlier this month by Indonesian Olympic Committee President Raja Sapta Oktohari ©Getty Images

He added that officials in Bali - which regularly stages the world renowned Bali Marathon - would make sure that "there will be no checking on marital status upon check-in at any tourism accommodation, such as hotels, villas, apartments, guest houses, lodges and spas."

Neither Bali public officials nor community groups will be carrying out inspections of tourists’ marital status, the Governor insisted.

The Governor’s clarification comes after the country’s tourism industry board branded the new law as "totally counter-productive" legislation that could scare away foreign visitors at a time when Indonesia’s economy and tourism were only starting to recover from the crushing effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The new law, among amendments made to Indonesia’s criminal code last week, institutes criminal penalties of up to one year in prison for sex outside of marriage and up to six-months imprisonment for cohabiting with a member of the opposite sex without a marriage license.

Parliament members behind the Bill, which was passed with unanimous support, have praised the changes to the country’s criminal code as a much-needed departure from the vestige of Dutch colonial rule and a way to "protect the institution of marriage" and uphold "Indonesian values" in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.