Illustrative image (Photo: AFP) Hanoi (VNA) - Indonesia’s tourism sector has taken a hit amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, following travel bans on tourists to and from China.
Chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Hariyadi Sukamdani said more than 40,000 hotel bookings in Bali have been cancelled since the outbreak.
According to him, the impact of the coronavirus outbreak would be greater than that of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).
Import and export activities, including the export of live fish, have also been disrupted, he said.
Earlier on February 7, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said Bali, North Sulawesi and Riau islands have been affected as they are the gates to several popular destinations for Chinese tourists, such as Bunaken and Bintan.
To ease the tourist industry’s burden, the government is encouraging domestic tourists to visit such destinations./.
