Bali's tourism industry expected to reopen in July, says Indonesian planning minister

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s most popular holiday destination Bali is expected to be ready to resume business in July, the country’s national development planning minister said on Thursday (May 28).

Businesses in Bali have been shut down for the last two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in an economic slowdown of 1.14 per cent. This makes Bali one of the most economically affected regions in Indonesia, according to the government.

The plan to reopen Bali's tourism industry comes after the total number of COVID-19 cases reported on the island has remained relatively low, at 420 as of Thursday. There are more than 24,000 cases nationwide.

More than 300 people have so far recovered and four people have died in Bali. The fatality rate of the province is around 1 per cent, said minister for national development planning Suharso Monoarfa at a COVID-19 task force press conference.

Bali has a population of 4.2 million people. Last year, there were 6.3 million foreign visitors to the island.

The minister said: “The Bali government has managed the situation relatively well. We expect Bali will be ready to open for business soon in July.

“However, new health protocols must be followed when opening economic activities." 

He added that Bali seems to have contained COVID-19 due to a well-defined leadership structure, which involved traditional leaders in the community and guards who work voluntarily.

“They screen visitors who enter the villages, prevent large gatherings, monitor quarantine orders and make sure people follow the COVID-19 protocols such as wearing masks, and washing their hands frequently,” Mr Monoarfa said.

The minister revealed that the plans for reopening the economy and entering a new normal phase will be implemented in stages. The measures will depend on three criteria such as the basic reproduction number - which represents the number of new infections estimated to stem from a single case - falling below 1.

Health system readiness, such as the capacity of hospitals and emergency facilities, is also required along with surveillance capacity indicated by the number of swab tests.

Earlier this week, the Indonesian government deployed the military and police to enforce social distancing measures under a “new normal” scenario and said that Jakarta would likely to be ready for it after Jun 4, the last day of COVID-19 curbs in the capital known as large-scale social restrictions.

On Thursday morning, tourism and creative economy minister Wishnutama Kusubandio said tourism activities could be allowed to resume around one month after a province or city enters the new normal phase.

Meanwhile, foreign minister Retno Marsudi said on Thursday that the issue of resuming travel within ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is still being discussed.

“The discussion is still in the preparation stage and we have yet to decide on the time frame,” Mdm Marsudi said.

It was reported earlier that ASEAN member states had agreed that the wider revival of the tourism sector will require collaboration on a number of issues, including a common set of health declarations and checks on travellers.


By Kiki Siregar
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/

Current situation in Bali for travelers

Update 19 May 2020  16.45

INFORMATION ON AVIATION OPERATING POLICIES RELATED TO COVID-19
Last updated on 18 May 2020 at 09.00 (Jakarta GMT + 7 time)

Garuda Indonesia has been carrying out a number of anticipatory steps in following the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, which naturally emphasizes the safety and comfort aspects of flights to both passengers and crew.

Requirements for passengers with flights from and to PSBB region/red zone Indonesia

Garuda Indonesia fully supports government policy through regulation of the Minister of Transportation No. 25 year 2020 concerning transport control during Eid al-Fitr 1441 H in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Refer to SE No 4 year 2020 TASK FORCE ACCELERATION HANDLING of COVID-19, regarding the criteria of restriction of persons travel out or enter the country boundary area and/or administrative area boundary by private vehicle or public transportation means (land, railway, crossing, Sea, and air) throughout Indonesia and refers to the circular letter of the Minister of Health number HK. 02.01/MENKES/313/2020 on the Health protocol handling of Homecoming WNI and FOREIGNERS from abroad at the entrance of the country and in the region in the situation of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB). Here are the details of documents that need to be completed by each Garuda Indonesia passengers who will carry out the trip:

1.Travel support letter from institution or related institution
Each passenger must include a travel certificate from the Agency (Government/private) as endorser whose contents explain that the prospective passengers travel is not for homecoming purposes according to the category of passengers who are allowed to travel as follows:

2.Travel Statement letter in order to control the Covid-19 in Indonesia

3.Each passenger who meets the criteria in the category in point number 1 above, must download and fill in the form provided here

4. Personal identification (KTP or other valid identification)

Full information can be viewed here 

https://www.balihotelsassociation.com/

Bali to require COVID-19 swab test results for all visitors

Bali to require COVID-19 swab test results for all visitors
Ni Komang Erviani
The Jakarta Post

Anyone with plans to visit Bali must first undergo a swab test and a obtain letter stating they are free from COVID-19 under a new policy issued by the Bali administration that will take effect later this month in order to curb transmission of the disease on the world-renowned resort island.

From May 28, everyone visiting Bali is required to have undergone a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, Bali Airport Authority head Elfi Amir said.

“We urge everyone and all airlines to ensure this has been done before flying to Bali, all passengers must already have PCR test results declaring they are negative for COVID-19. The document should be checked at the airport prior to departure,” Elfi told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Elfi explained that a virtual coordination meeting had been conducted on Thursday to notify all related stakeholders of the new policy, including airlines.

The airport authority and the Bali COVID-19 Task Force will recheck the swab test results of all passengers upon arrival at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International airport.

If any passenger arrives without a swab test result, the airport authority will let the task force take action.

“We will also reprimand the airline for not following the regulation,” Elfi emphasized.

Bali Governor Wayan Koster sent a letter to the transportation minister on May 18, requesting the swab test results be made a requirement to enter the island through the airport.

However, in the same letter, the governor did not request similar a requirement for people entering the island through the seaport.

For those entering the island through the seaport, Koster only requested a rapid test result issued by a public hospital, regional health agency or other authority that declares a person negative for COVID-19.

The rapid test result and swab test result should be valid for at least seven days after the arrival day at Bali’s airport.

Bali COVID-19 Task Force executive chairman, Dewa Made Indra, reiterated that everyone planning to visit Bali must have the COVID-19-free letter when they buy the ticket. Visitors must also register at the provincial website https://cekdiri.baliprov.go.id, which will provide a QR code that can be shown when buying the ticket as a proof that the passengers are healthy.

The policy is required for everyone except flight attendants who only transit in Bali.

“The policy was made to limit people from traveling. So, for those who have no important and urgent interest, it is better to delay their trip,” Dewa said.

Read also: Bali's Denpasar to impose COVID-19 restrictions that keep businesses running


He explained that swab test requirement was not out of line. He said the administration was not asking for privileges or special treatment, but was only seeking to follow the central government’s plan to make Bali the first region to recover from the COVID-19 outbreak.

Dewa Indra said the administration appreciated the central government’s plan to make Bali the first COVID-19 free area.

“However, it is not a simple thing. It will be a long road as [the outbreak] is not over yet. Bali wants to tightly control who enters Bali, both Indonesians and
foreigners, because all people are possible COVID-19 carriers,” he said.

The swab test, he said, was needed to filter those seeking to enter to prevent further transmission on the island.

As the policy will come into effect on May 28, Dewa said all airlines needed to begin disseminating information to their future passengers.