Bali could reopen for foreign tourists in June
Indonesia’s most popular tourism destination of Bali could be reopened as early as in mid-June or July this year in order to revive the island’s tourism industry which has been severely battered by the Covid-19 pandemic which cut off the livelihood for almost all local tourism workers there.
Foreign tourists may be able to enter Bali again under a travel corridor program, according to Indonesian tourism minister Sandiaga Uno, who made a respective statement on the ministry’s website on March 17.
The travel corridor arrangement will be offered to countries that are considered successful in their vaccination program and have been able to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Uno noted. As it stands, these countries would include the Netherlands, China, the United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern countries, as well as Singapore.
The consideration to reopen the island is a move that followed Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s request towards officials to make efforts to restore the tourism sector, especially in Bali.
Three destinations chosen for pilot project
The provincial government in Bali has already launched pilot projects in three popular destinations on the island, namely in Ubud, Sanur beach in Denpasar and Nusa Dua. These areas have been designated as “green zones” with strictly implemented standard health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic with a comprehensive vaccination policy for people who live and have activities in the area.
Those places are planned to receive the first foreign travelers by June of July, the statement said, adding that as many as two million residents of Bali’s 4.4-million population will have to be vaccinated before the opening can take place.
Expansion possible after strict evaluation
The Indonesian government may then allow chartered flights to bring in overseas travelers under the pilot projects, which will be closely monitored and evaluated every two weeks, Uno said.
If the projects prove successful after close monitoring and evaluation, they could later be expanded in terms of both other destinations on the island, namely Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu and Nusa Penida, as well as additional source countries for tourists.
Picture: Xinhua Indonesia’s most popular tourism destination of Bali could be reopened as early as in mid-June or July this year in order to revive the island’s tourism industry which has been severely battered by the Covid-19 pandemic which cut off the livelihood for almost all local tourism workers there. Foreign tourists may be able to enter Bali again under a travel corridor program, according to Indonesian tourism minister Sandiaga Uno, who made a respective statement on the ministry’s website on March 17. The travel corridor arrangement will be offered to countries that are considered successful in their vaccination program...
Indonesia’s most popular tourism destination of Bali could be reopened as early as in mid-June or July this year in order to revive the island’s tourism industry which has been severely battered by the Covid-19 pandemic which cut off the livelihood for almost all local tourism workers there.
Foreign tourists may be able to enter Bali again under a travel corridor program, according to Indonesian tourism minister Sandiaga Uno, who made a respective statement on the ministry’s website on March 17.
The travel corridor arrangement will be offered to countries that are considered successful in their vaccination program and have been able to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Uno noted. As it stands, these countries would include the Netherlands, China, the United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern countries, as well as Singapore.
The consideration to reopen the island is a move that followed Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s request towards officials to make efforts to restore the tourism sector, especially in Bali.
Three destinations chosen for pilot project
The provincial government in Bali has already launched pilot projects in three popular destinations on the island, namely in Ubud, Sanur beach in Denpasar and Nusa Dua. These areas have been designated as “green zones” with strictly implemented standard health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic with a comprehensive vaccination policy for people who live and have activities in the area.
Those places are planned to receive the first foreign travelers by June of July, the statement said, adding that as many as two million residents of Bali’s 4.4-million population will have to be vaccinated before the opening can take place.
Expansion possible after strict evaluation
The Indonesian government may then allow chartered flights to bring in overseas travelers under the pilot projects, which will be closely monitored and evaluated every two weeks, Uno said.
If the projects prove successful after close monitoring and evaluation, they could later be expanded in terms of both other destinations on the island, namely Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu and Nusa Penida, as well as additional source countries for tourists.
