Bali Tourism Office Welcomes Jokowi's Decision To Reduce Foreign Tourist Quarantine To 5 Days

ILLUSTRATION/KUTA BEACH BALI/DOK BETWEEN

DENPASAR - The Bali Tourism Office positively welcomes the plan to reduce the 8-day quarantine to 5 days for foreign tourists or foreign tourists who are going on vacation to the Island of the Gods.

Head of the Bali Provincial Tourism Office, I Putu Astawa, said that his party had not received official information regarding the reduction of quarantine. However, Bali Tourism Office assessed that the central government's policy through a meeting chaired by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) was very good because it would attract foreign tourists to come to Bali.

"I haven't received any information yet, but if it's true, it would be better for tourists. Because if they are quarantined for 8 days, it will take a very long time", said Astawa when contacted, Friday, October 8.

Astawa explained, for foreign tourists who come will be quarantined in hotels in the green zone or green zone. Such as, in Ubud, Gianyar Regency, Sanur, Denpasar, and in Nusa Dua, Badung Regency, Bali.

In addition, the quarantine reduction plan will increase the interest of tourists visiting Bali.

“It is more interesting for tourists, I think, to travel to Bali. The hope is that it will increase their interest in being able to come to Bali", said Astawa.

Currently, direct international flights to Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport are opened for 5 countries, namely South Korea, Japan, United Arab Emirates, China, and New Zealand.

"If we go to Bali, our market is mostly from Australia, the second is only China. Based on the number of visits from 2019, it is indeed China. So hopefully later from Japan, Korea, China from Arab (many come)", said Astawa.

In addition, Bali Tourism Office appealed to the Balinese people not to be euphoric with the opening of direct international flights to Ngurah Rai Airport on October 14.

"This opening, don't be euphoric who finally forgets about the existence of COVID-19 because COVID-19 isn't over yet, what I'm worried about will increase later. We have to be more careful so that we can manage this COVID-19 and can we keep it and keep it sloping", said Astawa.

Foreign Tourist Quarantine Becomes 5 Days

President Joko Widodo asked his staff to prepare for the opening of tourism in archipelagic areas such as Bali and the Riau Islands (Kepri).

This was conveyed by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Chair of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery, Airlangga Hartarto, after attending a limited meeting discussing the opening of economic activities with the President at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Thursday, October 7.

"(Ratas) Evaluating activities related to mobility and seeing the situation in islands such as Bali or Riau Islands whose levels have dropped, they are asked to be prepared to be opened", said Airlangga, quoted by Antara.

Airlangga said the government had decided to reopen tourism in several areas, including Bali and the Riau Islands. He said the limited meeting with the President also discussed the quarantine period for incoming foreign tourists.

"In the meeting, the quarantine period was discussed with a situation like this. And the position became five days", said Airlangga.