When Are Bali Tourism Objects Opened?

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/BETWEEN

DENPASAR - Head of the Bali Provincial Tourism Office, Putu Astawa, has not been able to confirm that tourist attractions on the island of Bali will reopen, which have been closed since the Emergency Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) until now.

The opening of a tourist attraction in Bali, called Astawa, depends on the central government's policy and also looks at the COVID-19 case on the Island of the Gods.

"The one who makes the policy of the Center (or) the Covid-19 Task Force, the Minister of Home Affairs, has instructions. We must follow all the government regulations first so that COVID-19 can slow down first", said Astawa, when contacted Monday, August 16.

However, his party estimates that tourism objects in Bali will be opened waiting for the daily cases of COVID-19 to slow down. Because currently, the number of COVID-19 cases in Bali is more than 1.000.

"If the hospitals are full and overwhelmed, government funds will also be drained for handling COVID-19. Now, Bali is still at more than 1.000, if only it could be in the hundreds, maybe 150, we could open again", he said.

"Our hope is that it can decrease in terms of transmission. So, now the Governor's policy is starting to centralize isolation. However, we agree between balancing health interests with economic interests", he continued.

Meanwhile, domestic tourist visits to Bali during the Emergency PPKM to date have certainly experienced a decline. This is known from Domestic Travelers (PPDN) who came to Bali during PPKM through I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali.

In a day, PPDN during the PPKM period that arrived in Bali was 900 to 800 even though it was not all tourists. He estimates that around 500 domestic tourists per day come to Bali. The tourists mostly dominated from Jakarta, Surabaya, Sulawesi, and Lombok.

Astawa explained, before the Emergency PPKM, domestic tourists coming to Bali reached 7.000 to 8.000 per day, even 10.000. In addition, I have also heard of the Work From Bali (WFB) program reaching 13.000 per day. However, after PPKM there was a drastic decline of up to 88 percent.

"Yes, it's an 88 percent decrease compared to before PPKM", he said.

Tourists are predicted to return to Bali after the COVID-19 cases decline and that can be achieved with targeted vaccinations

70 percent of Balinese people are vaccinated which is likely to be completed in September 2021.

"I have a prediction that according to WHO, if 70 percent of Balinese people have been vaccinated, there will be herd immunity (or) herd immunity. The second vaccination (stage) is around the end of September and hopefully, it's true, so that our community is 70 percent vaccinated, the COVD-19 must have gone down", he said.

If the second stage of vaccination is finished at the end of September and COVID-19 cases decline, his party will certainly seek to open the border for foreign tourists so that they can travel to Bali but by preparing all supporting facilities.

"We want there to be a border oven, besides that, we prepare SOPs for tourist arrivals from the airport to the hotel.

Then, COVID-19 enforcement is also carried out, then we also create green zones in Nusa Dua, Sanur, and Ubud, we hope that by the end of September the second vaccination will decrease (COVID-19 cases)", he hoped.

"The solution is how the economy can run and health must also be anticipated. Yes, we will open gradually, not all of our countries will open to Bali. But countries with low COVID-19 risk. For example, where many countries have been vaccinated. so that people who go to Bali have shown a vaccine certificate. We can open it gradually through the travel bubble", said Astawa.