Tourists have their picture taken at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali on July 31 (Photo: AFP) Jakarta (VNA) – Plans to reopen Bali tointernational visitors on September 11 have been postponed following theIndonesian government’s decision to wait until the end of this year.
In a recent statement, Bali Governor Wayan Koster said that the government isstill prohibiting its citizens from traveling abroad at least until the end of2020, adding that in line with the policy, Bali cannot also open its gate to foreigntourists.
Koster added that the government fullysupports the province's plans to reopen to international travelers as partof tourism recovery efforts, however Bali should be careful.
Following the decision, Bali issaid to be focusing on efforts to attract domestic tourists in a bid to smoothits way to tourism and economic recovery.
The COVID-19 pandemic has badly hit Bali’s economy, 80 percent of whichrelies on tourism. The Bali's economy contracted 10.98 percent in the secondquarter of 2020, and at least 2,667 labourers who work in the tourismsector have lost their job, and 73,631 people have been forced to take unpaidleave.
Previously, Bali was planning to reopen its tourism in three phases, startingon July 9 with the reopening of tourist sites to local residents, tobe followed with reopening access to domestic travelers from regionsacross Indonesia. The third phase would have been to start welcoming foreign travelerson September 11./.
VNA
