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Bali, Indonesia, reopened to foreign tourists on Thursday, that is, 18 months after the border was closed, but there were no international flights.
The island’s prosperity is largely dependent on the tourism industry. The long-term closure has caused many people to lose their jobs, and businesses including hotels and restaurants have closed.
The island’s Ngurah Rai International Airport has been simulated to prepare for the return of tourists, but it is not expected to happen soon.
“So far, there is no timetable,” said airport spokesperson Taufan Yudhistira of international flights. In the absence of direct flights, tourists from overseas will need to fly through Jakarta.
Since Indonesia became the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in Asia in July, the government has been eager to revive Bali’s troubled tourism industry after a sharp decline in coronavirus cases.
But so far, detailed information about the reopening, such as visa requirements and the countries/regions to which it applies, is not complete.
Before Bali will reopen its international tourism industry on October 14, 2021, the management of Bali I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport simulated the arrival of international passengers. #JakartaMoversandShakers pic.twitter.com/8KJB7khBra
— Metro Global Network (@mglobenetwork) October 13, 2021
Indonesia only confirmed 19 eligible countries in a statement late Wednesday, including China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, as well as several countries from Western Europe and the Middle East.
This move comes after Thailand began to reopen with much fanfare in July. Koh Samui and Phuket welcomed vaccinated tourists from multiple countries, with hundreds of people on the open day.
Vietnam plans to welcome foreigners to its Phu Quoc island next month. As 73% of tourist workers have been vaccinated, Boracay in the Philippines is also preparing to reopen to foreign tourists.
However, some Indonesian tourism industry representatives said that Bali’s reopening plan has not yet met demand.
I Putu Astawa of the Bali Tourism Bureau said that hotel reservations are scarce.
“Not yet, because the time is too sudden,” he said when asked about the surge in bookings. “They need time to process visas and flights.”
However, the country’s flagship airline Garuda Indonesia announced last week that it plans to increase flights between Jakarta and Bali, citing an increase in domestic tourist traffic.
In addition to requiring Bali tourists to be vaccinated against COVID-19, Indonesia also stipulates that they must spend the first five days in the quarantine area. Other countries have decided to phase out this measure.
“We are ready to accept visitors to Bali, but of course this does not mean that all guests will come to Bali suddenly,” said Ida Bagus Purwa Sidemen, executive director of the Island Hotel and Restaurant Association.
“At the earliest, by the end of this year, we can assess whether the situation has improved.”
In a video posted on the YouTube channel of the President’s Secretariat, Bali Governor I Wayan Koster said during the reopening on Thursday that the restoration of tourism is vital to the island.
“The recovery of tourism is very in our interest, because 54% of Bali’s economy is dependent on tourism,” he said.
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