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Previously, Indonesia had allowed tourists from 19 countries to enter the country, and Bali – Indonesia's top tourist destination – officially reopened on October 14th, as part of important steps to revive Indonesia's tourism.
Contrary to Indonesian expectations, Taufan Yudhistira, spokesman for Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali, said: "We are ready and waiting for international flights. But no flights are scheduled to arrive today."
Since the end of October 13th, Ngurah Rai International Airport has not received any information about international flights.
According to AFP, Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali has opened its doors to travelers from 19 countries, including notable names such as:South Korea, China, Japan, France, New Zealand.However, Australia is not included in this list, even though Australian tourists used to make up the majority of visitors to Bali before the pandemic.
Mr. I Gusti Ngurah Rai Suryawijaya, Vice President of the Bali Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), said: "I think the problem lies in the quarantine policy. The current requirement is 5 days at the hotel, and we are proposing to reduce it to 3 days. Meanwhile, countries like Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives are all open to international tourists without requiring quarantine."
Furthermore, the Bali Tourism Authority argues that the reopening of tourism in Bali was too sudden, leaving tourists insufficient time to prepare visas and find flights. Bali officials also predict that there will not be many flights bringing tourists to the island in the first few days.
Foreign tourists visiting Bali must receive both doses of the vaccine and pay for their own 5-day quarantine at a hotel.
The Covid-19 pandemic has severely impacted Indonesia in general and its tourism industry in particular. Strict preventative measures and vaccination campaigns have led to a decrease in Covid-19 cases, although in reality, data shows that vaccination rates in Indonesia remain low.
According to Our World in Data, only 37.1% of the country's population has received one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and 21.4% have received two doses. In Bali alone, 98% of the population, equivalent to 4.4 million people, have been vaccinated, and over 80% have received two doses.
