As a result of the coronavirus outbreak, visitor numbers have fallen throughout many destinations all across the world. Few have endured a larger effect than Bali, the Indonesian island that has long been a favourite of international tourists.
Bali has gone from getting millions of international tourists to only 45 in 2021 due to tight border control procedures and a closed airport.
In comparison, around 6.2 million international arrivals are expected in 2019 and 1.05 million in 2020.
The Central Statistics Bureau of Bali validated the two-digit number, which covers the period from January to October 2021.
Because the island's Ngurah Rai Foreign Airport (DPS) in Denpasar has been restricted to international aircraft for practically the entire year, those visitors have almost entirely arrived by private boat. Despite the fact that the airport reopened to international flights on October 14, there have only been local flights in and out of the airport thus far, largely from Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta.
Foreign travellers must meet severe Covid-related admission restrictions in order to visit Bali. They must get a business visa for $300 (there are no tourist visas available at this time), undergo repeated PCR testing, and purchase specific health insurance. Furthermore, due to a shortage of direct flights, airline expenses are greater than usual.
As for now, Bali's Covid policies relating to foreign visitors are determined by the central government in Jakarta, not by local authorities on the island and originally, the quarantines were shorter but were recently increased due to fears of the new Omicron variant.
While the little influx of guests is a positive note to end the year on, particularly for the many Balinese residents who rely on tourism to support their families, it will not be enough to save the 2021 season.
Source : CNN
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