Indonesia is currently reviewing a plan for Bali to reopen for international visitors amid concerns the move will compromise the country’s effort to stop the spread of Covid-19.
The resort island started to welcome back domestic tourists on July 31, with appropriate health and safety protocols in place, but their return will not offset the absence of international tourists.
Influential cabinet member Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said on August 11th, that the country would not “hurry” to reopen its borders but plans to begin accepting foreign tourists starting on September 11 were on track.
But, on August 13th, Pandjaitan contradicted what he had said earlier in the week, “We want 70 per cent of domestic tourists. The problem of foreign tourists is that we will not accept it until the end of the year ".
On Monday; the Star reported that Indonesia will not be allowing in foreign tourists for the rest of the year. They instead focus on reviving the hard-hit tourism sector with domestic demand, a senior minister had announced.
Indonesia's Health Ministry announced 2,081 new confirmed Covid-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total number of infections nationwide to 139,549.
According to data released by the ministry on Sunday, 79 more people have died of the disease, bringing the death toll to 6,150.
The total number of recovered patients has also increased to 93,103.
Source : BaliSun