Sandiaga Uno, who is Indonesia’s minister of tourism and creative economy, has confirmed the government is finalising plans for a travel corridor that would allow vaccinated travellers to enter Bali from abroad, without the need for quarantine upon arrival.
“The plan is that tourists who are allowed to come are those who have been vaccinated at their home countries,” explained Uno in a recent statement. “They [will] have to take [and pass] an antigen test [upon arrival] before they can do activities,” he added.
Officials see the travel bubble as a reliable solution to island safety controls, which can also provide visitors with a more seamless travel experience. As Bali prepares to lift restrictions and welcome back the first wave of international arrivals, the island’s vice governor has also given his support to the new proposal, and is currently working on a proposal for the necessary safety controls.
Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati has already suggested a number of mechanisms and criteria for the arrangement, including an opening of the travel corridor for travellers arriving from countries that have implemented mass vaccination programmes. This protocol would include major source markets such as China.
Additional preparations are already underway in Bali, with workers in the tourism industry prioritised for jabs during the first round of vaccinations. The move is designed to prepare infrastructure for international arrivals, and restore visitor confidence.
With a combination of the travel bubble for arrivals and vaccinations for local workers, Indonesia is working to ensure it is safely insulated against Covid-19 transmission when the tourism sector reopens. To support these safety measures, the Bali administration has applied for a soft loan of USD712 million from the government, which will be used to support the safe and steady reopening of tourism operations by travel companies operating in Bali.
As the final parts of the tourism revival jigsaw are put into place, the reopening of Bali edges closer to completion. An announcement is expected soon regarding the lifting of international travel restrictions to Indonesia, so watch this space!
