Planning a Bali Trip? Think again. For the rest of the year, Bali's borders are closed to foreign tourists. The Indonesian island was set to lift restrictions on September 11, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Bali governor says that it is still not safe to have people enter and leave. Thailand also continued to push international tourist travel until at least 2021.
During the pandemic, the popular and famous tourist destination of Instagram hit a low with a significant drop in flights to and from Bali along with empty hotels and restaurants. While the island needs to recover its tourism industry, Bali Governor Wayan Koster says plans need to be thoroughly thought out and carefully done to allow international travellers. He didn't give an international travel date but this year it won't be. Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, still has a ban on foreign tourists, too.
"The central government is supporting (Bali's) tourism recovery plans by opening the doors to international tourists. But that requires care, prudence, not to be rushed, and careful preparation is required.
Bali reported 49 deaths associated with coronavirus, and over 4,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases. Koster says new cases are under control and the rate of recovery is on the increase. In all, with more than 153,000 confirmed cases, Indonesia has more than 6,000 deaths related to viruses. "The government still bans its citizens from travelling abroad until at least the end of 2020. We can not also open the door to international travellers until the end of 2020 in line with the policy, as the situation in Indonesia, including Bali, is not yet safe to welcome.
The economy of the island is picking up on domestic voyages. At the end of last month, Bali's beaches and temples reopened. According to the Jakarta Post, thousands of domestic tourists arrived at the island's airport every day since domestic travel was lifted.
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