Tourists Have Vacation In Bali, Crowded Kuta Beach, Crawling Solid Kuta Street

DENPASAR - After a polemic arose regarding the mandatory swab test circular, many tourists have entered Bali. Local tourist visits to Bali were recorded to have increased.

The condition of Bali which is crowded with tourists is widely shared on Instagram accounts specifically for information on the Bali region. Someone shared the condition of the busy streets of Kuta on Friday, December 25th. There are videos of queues entering Melasti Beach, South Kuta to videos of busy tourists while waiting for the sun to set on Kuta beach.

The number of domestic tourists who enter Bali on the Christmas and New Year holidays continues to increase. In fact, cumulatively reached 46,979 people. In fact, the new travel regulations issued by the central government have not discouraged some people from coming to the Island of the Gods.

Stakeholder Relations Manager of PT Angkasa Pura I Ngurah Rai Taufan Yudhistira revealed that visits did decline at the beginning of the enactment of the entry requirements for Bali, namely by including a COVID-19 free letter as evidenced by the results of a PCR-based swab test.

However, said Taufan, after that it has experienced consistent increases. This is reflected in the increasing number of tourist arrivals on H-1 Christmas or December 24, with 10,327 people entering Bali via Ngurah Rai Airport.

"When viewed from December 18, 2020 (First Day of the 2020 Christmas Transportation Monitoring Post and New Year 2021) - December 24, 2020 the trend tends to increase. But the first day of PCR implementation has decreased," he said, when contacted by VOI, in Jakarta, Friday, 25 December.

Previously, the Bali Provincial Government made adjustments to the PCR-based swab test requirements for tourists who want to go to the Island of the Gods via air transportation. This adjustment was based on the results of the coordination meeting with the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, who was also attended directly by the Governor of Bali I Wayan Koster via video conference.

The meeting decided to apply the agreed upon adjustments with 3 main points, namely first, the provisions on controlling Christmas and New Year holidays to take effect from 19 December 2020.

"So Circular Number 2021 of 2020 concerning the Implementation of Community Activities During Christmas Holidays and Welcoming the New Year 2021 In the New Era of Life in Bali Province takes effect on December 19, 2020," said Bali Provincial Secretary Dewa Made Indra.

Then, on the adjustment agreement with regard to PCR requirements. Previously, in the Governor's Circular, it was stated that Domestic Travel Actors (PPDN) who traveled by air must show a negative result of the PCR-based swab test, at least 2 x 24 hours (D-2, red) before departure.

At the meeting, adjusted to a maximum of D-7, PPDN who travel by air must show a negative result of the PCR-based swab test.

"Third, there are exceptions in this requirement, the exception is for passengers who are 12 years old and under, or under 12 years of age, they are exempted from the PCR test results or the antigen rapid test," he said.