Bali reopening to foreign tourists but with mandatory quarantine still in place, is anyone except its biggest fans likely to go?
- A five-day hotel quarantine, convoluted visa process and simpler nearby options will likely put off most after the Indonesian island reopens on October 14
- But for those who want to see the real Bali and some of the island of yesteryear before the tourist hordes return, this could be the best time
In April 2020, the unthinkable happened in Bali: authorities closed the international airport to prevent the further import of Covid-19, turning off the tap for 60 per cent of the island’s GDP and causing 42 per cent of the workforce to lose their incomes, according to new figures from data company Statista.
Although only tourists from select countries will be admitted at first – China, South Korea, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand – the news is being celebrated around the world by people who have fond memories of holidaying in Bali and those who dream of visiting the island for the first time.
Bali has consistently topped travel polls during the pandemic, including TripAdvisor’s 2021 list of the world’s most popular destinations. Indonesia’s tourism ministry is banking on that nostalgia to bring 3.6 million foreign visitors to the island in 2022 – more than double the number that visited in 2020 but still a shadow of the 6.3 million that visited in 2019.
Don’t pack your bags yet though – there are still strict entry rules.
