Bali authorities confirmed the date of reopening, said Governor I Wayan Koster. On September 11th, the world-famous resort island will welcome the first international tourists. The only restriction is stricter health protocol, said Governor.
Bali administration had prepared a three-phase plan on reopening the island for the tourists. As AsiaOne reports, the phase I started on July 9 when the governorate began reopening local businesses and tourist spots for residents of Bali.
“We’ll start the second phase on July 31 by reopening tourism for domestic tourists,” Governor Koster said and added that the third, last phase will start in autumn.
“The third phase would be launched on Sept 11. We’ll open our borders for international tourists,” Koster confirmed on Wednesday.
The governor explained that his administration had set up health protocols at tourist destinations and other public places to curb transmission of the highly contagious coronavirus. He would also require international tourists to be tested negative for COVID-19 prior to their trips.
To keep the health situation under control, the international tourists would be required to provide negative COVID-19 test results that are valid for two weeks in accordance with the circular issued by the transportation minister.
As the head of Bali administration said, tourism in Bali has been hit hard by the global pandemic, which has cut off travel to the island, hence the sharp decline in tourists this year.
Bali relies on international tourism heavily
As Mr Koster stressed, the international tourists visiting Bali contributed to 41 per cent to the country’s tourism revenues. In 2019, 6.3 million tourists visited Bali, accounting for 39 per cent of international tourism on the island.
Echoing Bali’s governor, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo previously urged regional administrations to ensure that tourism in the new normal era provided tourists with safety and comfort so that they could stay longer and spend more.
“However, we don’t want to focus solely on international tourists, since the potential for local tourists is also great,” Koster said.
As of Sunday, Bali had recorded 3,058 cases of COVID-19 consisting of 3,036 locals and 22 foreigners. The province has seen 2,321 recoveries and 48 deaths.
