Bali has been welcoming 3,000 tourists daily on average since it reopened to domestic travelers at the end of July, according to the province’s Tourism Agency.
“As of today I can say we have reached around 3,000 [people daily] on average. During the long weekend it reached up to 5,000, and about 2,400-2,500 on weekdays,” Bali Tourism Agency head I Putu Astawa said, adding that tourism players are obliged to strictly implement health protocols.
“I don’t want this [reopening] to be the black sheep, as if it’s the source of new transmissions or clusters.”
Bali added more than 100 daily COVID-19 cases all of last week, with the province’s record high of 196 daily cases reported on Friday. As of yesterday afternoon, the provincial tally stands at 6,212, including 105 deaths.
The Indonesian government has said it will focus on domestic tourism for the rest of the year, having scrapped plans to reopen to foreign tourists.
Tourism’s huge contribution to the economy in Bali has made it the hardest hit economy in the country. Despite the restarting of activities on the island, Bali hoteliers are among those who are skeptical of their chances of weathering through the COVID-19 pandemic.
