Officials in Bali are hoping to see at least 1,000 foreign travelers visiting the island daily when it reopens, though they also noted that this target might not be achieved immediately.
Deputy Governor Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati, or Cok Ace, said yesterday that between 1,000 and 1,500 international visitors daily would indicate an excellent start, ahead of Bali’s scheduled international reopening on Thursday.
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“But maybe it will be far [from that number] at the initial stage,” Cok Ace said.
The deputy governor added that it’s likely international arrivals would be dominated by tourists from China, though they would have to be subject to stringent screening measures upon their return to their home country.
Indonesian officials said Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport will start welcoming international visitors from select countries this week, but more specific details — including which source countries are eligible in this limited reopening — have yet to be announced at the time of publication.
However, Cok Ace and Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan have confirmed on separate occasions that the reopening is still happening, as they confirmed that foreign travelers are only expected to quarantine for five days upon arriving — shorter than the initial expectation of 8-day quarantine period.
When Luhut first announced Bali’s reopening just last week, he mentioned five eligible countries, namely South Korea, China, Japan, United Arab Emirates, and New Zealand. Yesterday, he mentioned that a total of 18 countries are on the final list, which apparently does not include neighboring country Singapore.
