Sandiaga Promises Bali To Open Gate For Foreign Tourists In October, Deputy Governor Cok Ace Explains The Readiness Of The Island Of The Gods

ILLUSTRATION/KUTA BEACH BALI/DOK BETWEEN

DENPASAR - Deputy Governor of Bali Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati (Cok Ace) reiterated that Bali is ready to welcome foreign tourists (tourists). The affirmation was delivered after Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno promised to open the gate for foreign tourists to Bali in October.

Bali Deputy Governor Cok Ace said this readiness was not only from internal factors. But also supporting facilities for opening foreign tourist gates to Bali after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"One of them is that we will welcome the WSBK (World Superbike) grand event in Mandalika next November, as well as the G20 Summit which is planned to be held in 2022 in Bali. Of course, these events must be used as momentum so that the world community can believe in the handling of COVID-19 in Bali. Bali has been going well," said Cok Ace in a written statement, Monday, September 27.

Deputy Governor of Bali Cok Ace said Bali's various achievements in tackling the spread of the COVID-1 virus. In terms of health handling of the corona virus, according to him, Bali is one of the provinces with the highest vaccination achievements in Indonesia. The latest data on vaccination achievement has reached almost 97 percent for the first vaccination and more than 73 percent for the second vaccination.

The Deputy Governor of Bali emphasized that the vaccination program will continue to be boosted so that this month or early next month, both the first and second doses of vaccines can be completed.

Deputy Governor of Bali Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati (Cok Ace)

Meanwhile, for health facilities, the Deputy Governor of Bali said his party had prepared carefully. There are around 62 COVID-19 referral hospitals and 25 PCR laboratories with the ability to test more than 4,000 samples per day.

In addition, health workers, medicines and oxygen are also very adequate in Bali. Then, the provincial government has also prepared a grand design scheme for foreign tourists in Bali.

"The grand design regulates the tourist scheme starting from the arrival gate, testing, for those who are positive will be referred to the hospital. While the negative ones continue their journey to quarantine hotels, travel schemes to departure to their country of origin," said Cok Ace.

As for security, the Bali provincial government has coordinated with the TNI and Polri to strictly guard the entrances to Bali, both at the airport and port.

"So that people who enter Bali are completely sterile and free from COVID-19," he said.

As for tourism players, Cok Ace explained that preparations had been made when the gates of foreign tourists were opened.

There are more than 2,000 hotels, restaurants and tourism destinations that have pocketed the CHSE certificate from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. It is planned that 1,200 more will follow. Meanwhile, for tourism actors and their employees, on average, they have been vaccinated with the second dose.

"Even now, we are increasing the use of the PeduliLindung application in every public place in Bali," he said.

Cok Ace said related to the development of COVID-19 cases in a number of countries, travelers would be selective in choosing tourist destination locations.

"We have recorded several countries based on the length of stay in Bali. There are about four countries, namely America, England, Germany and Russia, which on average stay in Bali for 2 weeks. But it also depends on regulations, therefore we have to really prepare, " said Cok Ace.

Previously reported, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Uno said that currently Bali was ready to conduct a trial opening of the tourism sector for foreign tourists.

"So Bali is ready. We will discuss it, we will evaluate it next week and hopefully if all conditions are conducive, if nothing goes wrong we will try it next month," said Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno in the Seminyak area, Badung Regency, Bali quoted Between, Saturday, September 25.

Sandiaga assessed that the readiness of the industry, especially the tourism sector industry, was getting better, the public's compliance with the implementation of health protocols to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic was increasing, and the COVID-19 condition in Bali was under control.

"This makes us even more optimistic, next week at the coordination meeting we can provide input so that we can test the reopening of Bali in October," he said.

According to him, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy plans to propose Bali as an island whose entire territory can be opened to the tourism sector for foreign tourists.

"But of course if the situation does not allow us to conceptualize three green zones or green zones in Sanur, Ubud, and Nusa Dua. That is what we will prepare carefully, with caution and vigilance," he said.