Fully vaccinated Indonesians would no longer have to shell out thousands of pounds for hotel quarantine upon arrival in the UK, with the latter expected to relax travel restrictions in a bid to boost tourism.
As reported by The Sunday Telegraph, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce on Thursday that the UK is slashing its “red list” of destinations from 54 to just nine. Indonesia, which has seen significant decline in COVID-19 cases since the July peak of its second wave, will not be part of the nine.
Currently, arrivals to the UK from red list countries are mandated to undergo a 10-day hotel quarantine, costing £2,285 (US$3,095) per adult.
Furthermore, the UK previously announced that starting Oct. 4, fully vaccinated travelers arriving from countries not on the red list will no longer be required to take a pre-departure PCR test. Instead, they will be able to opt for the cheaper lateral flow test upon arrival in the UK.
The Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry says it has been pushing for other countries to remove Indonesia from their travel red list in recent weeks, commending France as another country that has recently lifted its ban on Indonesian travelers.
Undoubtedly high on the government’s current agenda is getting its Muslim citizens to Umrah pilgrimage, as Saudi Arabia has yet to exempt Indonesians from its travel restrictions to holy Islamic sites.
As for arrivals into Indonesia, the government recently eased its international travel restrictions, allowing visa applications and existing permit holders to enter the country. Hotel quarantine of eight days is required for most international travelers.
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