In case sun, sand and an island life are your conditions for a perfect vacay, Indonesia might be the right fit. However, turns out that tourists who wish to visit Bali might have to wait until next year. The Indonesian island has banned tourists from visiting for the rest of the year. Earlier, authorities had announced that the island would open for tourists in September. Bali Governor Wayan Koster has now postponed the reopening until 2021. On that note here are 26 countries that have opened up for tourism.
Bali Will Not Reopen On September 11
Earlier, Bali had planned to reopen in three phases, with ‘strict health protocols’ in place. From July 9, few businesses like fishing, finance and health services, were allowed to operate. Tourism activities began in the second phase, on July 31, only for Indonesians. On the occasion of reopening the Indonesian island for tourists, a mass prayer was conducted at the at Besakih Hindu temple at Bali’s Karangasem town on July 5. Thousands of people attended this prayer ceremony while wearing masks to reduce the risk of coronavirus.
The third and final phase was to start from September 11, when the island will allow entry of international tourists as well. However, with the current developments, Bali will not reopen for tourists until 2021.
Why Will The Island Be Closed?
A few months ago, it looked like Bali had it all under control. In fact, the island was also looked upon as a coronavirus success model, as Bali recorded very few cases, despite the sky rocketing cases in Indonesia. Bali has a population of about 4.2 million. However, only reported around 1900 coronavirus cases with 23 deaths. This was much lesser as compared to about 64,958 cases in the whole of Indonesia with nearly 3241 deaths.
However, things worsened in June and Bali now has 4,576 cases and 53 deaths. Indonesia on the other hand recorded 155,412 cases to date, making it 23rd in the world for confirmed infections.
Besides, Indonesians who wish to travel overseas must also wait as the government has banned citizens from doing so until the end of 2020. However, domestic tourists are permitted to travel to Bali. In fact, the island also reopened temples and tourist attractions in July, for domestic visitors. Until the situation stabilizes, authorities plan to tap into the domestic visitors, as a means to sustain Bali’s tourism.
The Balinese economy depends largely on tourism and it has faced major losses due to the pandemic. The rate of occupancy in popular hotels in Bali has dropped from nearly 62.55 per cent in December 2019 to only 51.56 per cent in May 2020, as per Bali statistics bureau data.
Bali Has Been On The Bucket List Of Travellers
The tropical holiday island, Bali has been on the bucket list of almost every travel buff due to its breathtaking beauty. From rugged mountains, stunning coastlines, sprawling rice terraces, coral reefs and waterfalls to volcanic hillsides, unique temples and exotic cuisine, Bali has everything that can satiate every bit of a traveller’s soul. Apart from the scenic beauty, Bali is also famous among scuba divers and surfers. Also, here’s an 8-day itinerary in case you plan a trip to Bali in future.
However, until you plan that much-awaited trip, go on a virtual tour to Bali from the comfy of your home.