Indonesia to pilot int'l traveller quarantine-free in Bali from March 14
Jakarta (VNA) - The Indonesian government will conduct quarantine-free on a trial basis for travellers who want to vacation in Bali from March 14 under certain conditions, a senior minister has said.
Speaking at a virtual
press conference on February 27, Co-ordinating Minister for Maritime and
Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan said the trial may be launched before
March 14 if the government sees positive development in the next one week for
the continued downward trend in the number of COVID-19 cases in Bali.
Foreign visitors have to
show proof of hotel booking payments for at least four days if they want to
enter Bali, while Indonesians who arrive on the holiday island from abroad are
required to show proof of domicile in the Goddess island, said Panjaitan.
International
travellers who want to enter Bali should have been fully vaccinated or received
booster jabs of COVID-19 vaccines, besides conducting entry PCR tests and
waiting at hotels for negative test results, he added.
The Indonesian official said if the tests show negative results, the international travellers are
allowed to do other activities under health protocols, adding that they should
also carry out PCR tests again on the third day at their hotels.
The requirement to have
a guarantor sponsor for tourist e-visa requests will be revoked because it is
considered burdensome for foreign tourists, he said.
Panjaitan pointed out
that Bali was chosen as the pilot project location because the rate of people
with two vaccine doses in the province is higher than in other provinces. If the trial in Bali is
successful, the government will expand the non-quarantine policy across Indonesia from April 1, or sooner./.