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THE INDONESIAN Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy said that Bali was still a favorite destination. The government is also optimistic that foreign tourists to the Island of the Gods can increase. The decline in foreign tourists to Bali may occur because Bali is one of the regions that has tightened international entry and exit policies.
According to the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno in the Weekly Press Briefing at the Sapta Pesona Building, Jakarta, Monday (12/13) said that Bali had reopened flights on October 14, 2021. The government is optimistic that with the improvement of international travel mobility policies and regulations next year, foreign tourists will return to visit Bali in stages.
“So far, there have been no foreign tourists visiting Bali and the Riau Islands (Kepri) via direct flights. However, there are several foreign tourists who are seen traveling in Bali, possibly through other arrival gates such as one from Soekarno-Hatta airport,” he said.
Sandiaga believes that Bali is still a dream tourist destination for world travelers, including digital nomads. Meanwhile, the number of domestic tourists who go to Bali is still quite high. Tourists in Bali reported that before Christmas and New Year, hotel occupancy has increased.
“The movement of foreign tourists is also considered to be able to help the process of recovering the wheels of the economy on the Island of the Gods. For local tourists, Bali is still a popular destination. This can be seen from the number of airplane passengers at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, which increased by 20% in November 2021 compared to the previous month,” he affirmed.
He explained, based on air traffic specifically for domestic flights, Bali Airport has served 276,468 departure passengers with 279,160 arrivals. The Bali Provincial Government also responded positively to the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 66 of 2021 regarding the Prevention and Management of COVID-19 at Christmas 2021 and New Year’s 2022.
“Even though this year without excessive activities on New Year’s Eve, the Provincial Government of Bali hopes that domestic tourist arrivals can increase by 50%. Even though it is quite high, travel during the Nataru period can only be done by people who have been vaccinated with the full dose. For those who have not been vaccinated, don’t allowed to travel outside the region,” Sandiaga remarked.
He added that although there were no restrictions, the Ministry of Tourism mentioned that there was a tightening of tourism during the Christmas and New Year’s 2022 holidays. People who travel are also advised to continue to optimize the PeduliLindungi application and implement strict health protocols. [traveltext.id]
