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THE DOOR for domestic tourism with a travel bubble scheme between Singapore and Indonesia (RI), has been opened starting Monday (1/24), via Batam-Bintan, Riau Islands. Referring to Circular Letter (CL) Number 3 of 2022, the travel bubble is a travel corridor system that aims to divide participants into different groups (bubbles), by separating participants who have a risk of being exposed to COVID-19 from the general public.
This mechanism is accompanied by restrictions on interaction, only to people in the same group (bubble), with the application of quarantine principles to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19. The travel bubble will eliminate the isolation period that is usually mandatory for international travelers when entering a country during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, this policy only applies to selected groups of travelers from certain countries. As in this scheme, citizens of Indonesia and Singapore are both allowed to enter each other’s territory, without undergoing a quarantine period as per the applicable rules.
There are a number of requirements that foreign tourists must comply with when visiting Batam and Bintan. The rules are contained in CL Number 3 of 2022 concerning Health Protocols for Overseas Travelers Mechanism of Travel Bubble in Batam, Bintan, and Singapore during the COVID-19 Pandemic, as follows:
(1). Tourists from Singapore who want to enter Batam must go through the Nongsapura International Ferry Terminal, then go through the travel bubble at Nongsa Sensation, Batam. (2). Tourists from Singapore who want to enter Bintan must go through the Bandar Bintan Telani Ferry Terminal, just undergoing the travel bubble in the Lagoi Bintan Resort area, Bintan.
(3). Must show a certificate (physical or digital) has received the full dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before departure. (4). Must show negative results through RT-PCR examination in the country of origin whose samples were taken a maximum of 3 days before departure.
(5). Must show a visit visa or other entry permit in accordance with applicable regulations, except for Singaporean foreign travelers. (6). Show proof of booking confirmation and payment for travel bubble travel packages in the Lagoi Bintan Resort or Nongsa Sensation area.
(7). For foreign nationals, show proof of ownership of health insurance with a minimum coverage value of 30,000 Singapore dollars (approximately IDR319,692,000) which includes financing for handling COVID-19 and medical evacuation to a referral hospital. (8). Using PeduliLindung and Bluepass applications during activities in the travel bubble area.
(9). Carry out body temperature checks and RT-PCR checks upon arrival at the entrance to the Batam and Bintan travel bubble areas. (10). If the results of the RT-PCR test are negative, tourists can continue their journey by following the procedures for checking immigration documents and customs documents, baggage collection and baggage disinfection, and pick-up and drop-off to the accommodation location.
(11). If the results of the RT-PCR examination are positive, the officer will check the severity of the symptoms. (12). Travelers who are positive without symptoms, up to mild symptoms, will be isolated in accommodation separate from the travel bubble area. If tourists have moderate to severe symptoms, then isolation is carried out at a referral hospital. (13). The cost of isolation or treatment is entirely borne independently for foreigners, or borne by the government for Indonesian citizens. [sources/photo special]
