It looks like it’s really going to happen, folks.
Bali appears set to reopen to domestic tourists on July 31, even as there is little indication, if any, that we’re slowing down the coronavirus outbreak in Bali and across Indonesia.
For the past week or so, Coconuts Bali has noticed that a number of prominent Indonesian influencers have begun sharing their travel experiences amid the pandemic. Their destination? Bali.
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The captions are written in a somewhat similar manner, wherein they appear to be priming their followers with new traveling habits amid the pandemic, while also noting added travel requirements during this time. These influencers seem to be doing us all a favor by traveling all the way to Bali in the middle of the pandemic and visiting a number of hotels and restaurants, reaffirming to the common people that strict health protocols were observed, and also reminding us of the importance of self-discipline to stay hygienic.
We can tell that it’s a coordinated effort because they informed us that they’re traveling with the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. They’re also using specific hashtags meant to promote Indonesian tourism.
While we can appreciate that some of them emphasized the importance of being responsible travelers, the idea of tourism returning to normal — even with strict health protocols — is still giving us anxiety.
With 62 new COVID-19 cases reported today, Bali’s provincial total has surpassed over 3,000 cases. This includes more than 2,300 recoveries and 48 deaths. The numbers may not indicate a sense of urgency when compared to other provinces in Indonesia, but it’s worth noting that the numbers have doubled since July 1, when cases stood at 1,527.
The province restarted activities within the island on July 9, after which it recorded the second-highest daily increase count since the onset of the coronavirus outbreak. A public health expert from the Udayana University previously said that based on epidemiological perspectives, Bali is not ready to reopen tourism.
With Bali Governor Wayan Koster this week touting a dubious claim that a traditional healing method using Balinese liquor, or arak, can speed up recovery for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, we’re reluctantly inclined to believe that tourism will reopen for real at the end of the month.
It’s not as black and white as we’d like it to be. The economic impact has been severe and hard for many Balinese people, and asking everyone to stay at home without meaningful financial support will eventually run its course. Couple that with questionable handling (at best) of an unprecedented public health crisis, and we’ve got the situation we’re looking right in the eye at the moment.
So how about it, Coconauts — did the influencers convince you it’s safe to visit Bali when it reopens as planned? Let us know in the comments.
Wicher Boissevain says
With 62 corona infections per day I am convinced that Bali is NOT ready to reopen tourism.