Bali Tourism and Cultural Economy Minister Sandiago Uno said that Bali will not open to foreign tourists until there is a significant reduction in covid-19 cases. They said they would wait for a more favorable situation to reopen the tourist hotspots.
He said, "We were targeting the end of July, beginning of August, but we just have to be mindful of where we are in this recent spike in Coronavirus cases."
According to reports, covid infections have increased dramatically in Indonesia in recent weeks, including in Bali, where it has seen a four-fold increase in cases over the past month, albeit from a low base to around 200 cases per day.
Uno elaborated that before Bali can be reopened to foreign tourists, he expects daily infection cases to drop to 30 or 40. By their estimate, 71 percent of Bali residents have already received their first covid vaccine dose, and 70 percent are targeted for vaccination. The population is likely to be reached by the end of July.
In an effort to protect the destination from the pandemic, domestic visitors will now have to undergo an RT-PCR test before entering the island. Also, in the move of international entrepreneurs or 'digital nomads', they will be granted a five-year visa under a proposed scheme.
Going by trends, tourist hotspots are now eager to capitalize on vaccinated travellers, who now have options ranging from Spain, Greece and Italy to Seychelles, Maldives and others. This, in turn, has also created intense competition, with some countries gearing up to encourage visitors.
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