Bali Tourism Remains Closed Amid Pandemic

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Bali tourism sector remains closed as the Island of the Gods focuses on mitigating the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bali has been relatively spared from the worst of the Covid-19 virus infections, but the island has yet to lower the number of infections.

The local government has expressed its commitment to mitigating the spread of infection first before considering plans on kickstarting Bali tourism plans.

Also Read: WHO Cautions Indonesia on New Normal Preparations

“Up to today, we are still managing the Covid-19 virus until there is a definite decline in the number of infections. Deciding on when tourism in Bali will open is dependent on developments regarding the pandemic,” explained Head of the Bali’s Tourism Office, Putu Astawa.

He added, “Bali Governor I Wayan Koster is extremely cautious to prevent a second wave of infections that could create an even worse impact.”

Based on data from the National Covid-19 Task Force, Bali has 723 confirmed Covid-19 cases including 6 reported deaths and 462 recovery cases.

The numbers are relatively low in comparison to Covid-19 total cases in the provinces of Jakarta and East Java who take the lead respectively.

Also Read: Indonesia Coronavirus Cases Break Three Records in One Week

Local tourist stakeholders are instead taking the time to create a standard operation procedure on health standards in the age of Covid-19.

The SOP is expected to include regulations on physical distancing, use of masks, hand sanitizers, disinfectants, and signage. Putu reassures that when Bali tourism reopens, it will be done in phases.

International travelers have essentially put a stop to Bali tourism travel plans since April 2020 as a growing number of flights were canceled along with the closing down of borders in most countries.

Data from Statistics Indonesia’s Bali branch indicated a plunge in the number of international travelers for April 2020 by 99.93 percent year-on-year.

March 2020 year-on-year figures are similar at a decline of 99.79 percent in international tourists.

Bali Tourism in Need of Innovation

Bali’s tourism sector will need to innovate if it strives to compete among the other global travel destinations in the new normal.

The provincial government is also looking to rename the new normal phase as the New Era of Bali.

“The trend in tourism is expected to undergo change. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused disruption to global tourism, preferences, and behaviors of tourists,” explained Head of Bank Indonesia’s Bali Representative Office, Trisno Nugroho on 1 June.

Also Read: Government: New Normal Should Not Compromise Public Well-being

Tourism stakeholders can expect greater expectations to prioritize safety, hygiene, and cleanliness in the new normal.

While Bali faces several challenges when to navigate in the new normal, Trisno believes that it can be answered together.

“We have to work together, shoulder-to-shoulder. With good cooperation and synergy, we’re confident that we’ll navigate past the new normal optimally,” Trisno stated. (Writer: Nicholas Ryan Aditya | Editor: Ni Luh Made Pertiwi F.)

Source: https://travel.kompas.com/read/2020/06/04/132106927/pariwisata-bali-belum-dibuka-ini-alasannya