Slow take off after Bali reopening

[reader]

From Channel News Asia

BALI: After 18 months of almost no activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was hoped that some international tourists would be back by now in Bali’s famous beaches of Kuta and Nusa Dua, or enjoying views of the forests and lush paddy fields in Ubud.

However, two weeks after Bali’s reopening on Oct 14 to travellers from 19 countries, no international flight has landed at its airport.

As of Monday (Oct 25), Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport has yet to receive any request from airlines to land there, said its spokesman Taufan Yudhistira when asked by CNA.

If airlines want to land in Bali, ideally they should give a notice of seven to 14 days in advance, he said.

“We cannot predict (when they will arrive), but one thing for sure, informally or formally the airlines have not filed a request to us. We cannot predict when the first flight will be,” Yudhistira said.

A receptionist at one of the villas in Ubud told CNA that although there has been a spike in occupancy by domestic travellers in recent weeks as the impact of the second COVID-19 wave dampens, there are still no signs of international tourists.

Among the standard operating procedures that apply to foreigners include a five-day quarantine upon arrival as well as the need to purchase insurance coverage worth at least 1 billion rupiah that would cover treatment for COVID-19.

I Ketut Ardana, the Chairman of Bali’s Association of the Indonesia Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) told CNA that even when the borders were still closed, many overseas tour operators inquired about travelling to Bali. 

“When it was reopened, there were even more inquiries. But it seems some of the information we gave them prevented them from coming,” he said.

“For example the five-day quarantine regulation, PCR testing and having insurance coverage worth at least 1 billion rupiah,” added Ardana.

He said that most of the inquiries came from Europe and Asia. 

“For ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, the quarantine is definitely a barrier because travellers from ASEAN countries tend to only stay for four days and three nights,” he said. “Travellers from China also on average only stayed for five days and four nights,” Ardana noted.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/bali-indonesia-international-tourism-reopening-quarantine-covid-19-2277961

 

[floridarob]

Maybe they'll try to copy Thailand, it's now reasonable...

[Guest]

I'm glad no one has gone.

The 5 days quarantine is both uncompetetive and unnecessary, since Indonesia already has a lot of covid.    

Why would anyone go there when they can go to Thailand with 1 day quarantine ?      Had Bali offered 5 days quarantine this time last year, they might just have got some visitors, as it would have been competitive at that time.