The Bali tourism sector is asking the central government to resume the VoA policy to help the tourism industry.
The President of Indonesia Tour, Wayan Suena, stated that the reopening of Bali Airport to international flights and foreign visitors wouldn’t have a significant impact on the dying tourism sector in Bali.
He suggested that the central government revise some of the travel requirements to attract more international visitors.
“Apart from reopening our border and reducing the quarantine time for international visitors, we also need to resume the visa on arrival policy and reduce the insurance coverage, so more people will consider traveling to the island,” Suena said on Thursday (17/2).
He is optimistic that this revision will boost the Bali economy and help it recover from the current crisis.
Suena also proposed that the government revoke the quarantine policy for vaccinated travelers.
“I’m one hundred percent sure that tourists will start coming to Bali if the central government accepts our requests. Otherwise, I’m afraid that outsiders will take over the majority of our assets on the island,” Suena concluded.
Remove All Ads & Unlock All Articles… Sign up for The Bali Sun Premium
Plan Your Bali Holiday:
Book The Best English Speaking Drivers For Airport Transfers & Tours
Choose From Thousands of Bali Hotels, Resorts, and Hostels with Free Cancellation On Most Properties
Book Cheap Flights To Bali
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance That Covers Medical Expenses In Bali
For the latest Bali News & Debate Join our Facebook Community
SUBSCRIBE TO NEW POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to The Bali Sun’s latest breaking news, straight to your inbox.
Rob Snow
Tuesday 22nd of February 2022
Hey all.we are a group of 6 coming to bali staying at the media Hotel end of May.if restrictions are not different to now...what are we gonna need to even get in the place.all have had 3 jabs we are flying in from London to dubai then to bali.its all very confusing
Steven
Wednesday 23rd of February 2022
@Rob Snow, i could be wrong but my guess is by the end of may you should be fine with no quarantine or special visa requirements. You can see that the Indonesian goverment has initiated a staged opening of their borders. Im hearing by march quarantine will be exempt for fully vaccinated tourists and at the start of April the VOA will be resumed.
Dr. F.Stein
Monday 21st of February 2022
Some envious and resentful people around because Winston can afford an expensive holiday. Yet there are normally thousands of similarly wealthy people staying in Bali at high end villas and hotels, eating in expensive restaurants, having spa treatments, playing golf, hiring drivers, etc etc.
Randy, he is not writing about charity, but showing as an example, his spending is good for the economy of Bali. Tourists have to pay 11% tax to the government,and 10% as service to staff. The hotel also has to pay 25% tax on profits land and building taxes, and taxes on all their vehicles. All good for employees and Bali’s budget. No doubt the hotel has to source all maintenance materials and equipment from domestic suppliers and likewise all food and drinks. Especially fresh vegetables. There used to be thousands employed in the suppler infrastructure! That’s good economy.
The concern over the visa requirements is the hassle and red tape and it has been said before that not many tourists are going to send online to an unknown agent in Bali, a copy of their passport, 3 months of their confidential bank statement and their credit card details for payment. I guess Trevor and Mr Hendrix are quite happy to do that. I wouldn’t.
Randy, when people write that they are not coming until VOA is renewed, that is nothing to do with sovereignty. I think that is most stupid, unpleasant and arrogant opinion I have read on these comments. It’s simply about why they won’t come to Bali. Maybe you like the fact that the $ 2000 dollar requirement will help keep Bali quiet by excluding young backpackers and gap students who are on a budget, and yet hire motor bikes, stay in home stays, and eat locally. A welcome source of income for many.
There is genuine confusion over the reason for no VOA, because the covid restrictions are there to control appropriate entry based on expert medical advise and can be adjusted to meet levels of risk. That is not possible with the online visa , it is all or nothing.
So now that Bali is open again can we expect the thousands of those who have been waiting to come. I doubt it. It will be so obvious eventually, that VOA will have to return , pretty soon is my guess.
Randy
Tuesday 22nd of February 2022
@Dr. F.Stein, "Some envious and resentful people around because Winston can afford an expensive holiday. Yet there are normally thousands of similarly wealthy people staying in Bali at high end villas and hotels, eating in expensive restaurants, having spa treatments, playing golf, hiring drivers, etc etc."
We will never see eye to eye with your above statement and many other opinions for that matter. Btw, I am begining to think you are the same Paul Morris? Could it be...chuckle.
Doyle's excuse was boasting his contribution in a disrespectful way toward the Balinese people. People born to wealth know his or her place to be humble and discreet without the need to show off.
However it is the government of any country that is to blame for implementing severe restrictions to safeguard it's own citizens. But do you blame Indonesia with it's calculated strategy in this pandemic era? As a reminder we are not yet at the finishing line with this epidemic. And people are already thinking of vacation. Sighs.
Spin it however you like it but several others including myself do not think Doyle's statement was sincere despite the issue of the visa fee.
Paul
Tuesday 22nd of February 2022
@Dr. F.Stein, as a foreign resident in Indonesia with contacts within the Balinese tourism industry I think you are entirely correct in your assessment of the current situation. Unfortunately, the people with the power to make decisions do not suffer the consequences of these decisions. There is an entirely different paradigm at play here and the wong cilik play absolutely no part of it.
Alforno Reeson
Tuesday 22nd of February 2022
@Dr. F.Stein, well said.
There were several regional openings recently, and Vietnam, Camboida, Fiji, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand (3.0) all have seen upticks in hotel bookings. Sadly, Bali doesnt show any meaningful uptick on the industry indicators. I suspect that quarantine and entry requirements prevented the jump from looker to booker. Eventually Bali will remove quarantine and perhaps re-instate VOA/Free of visa entry. I hope that any pending annoucement that is made isnt an incremental one. Rather a comprehensive one that the media and travellers will pick up on.
Randy
Tuesday 22nd of February 2022
@Dr. F.Stein, whatever...that's ok we will never see to eye.
"The concern over the visa requirements is the hassle and red tape and it has been said before that not many tourists are going to send online to an unknown agent in Bali, a copy of their passport, 3 months of their confidential bank statement and their credit card details for payment." WOW YOU are way out of the loop with the offshore visa processing. Probably those tourists are trying to cut corners by going with dubious scammers. You can only blame yourself.
Do your research and come back on here. You have no substantial knowledge of it other than what others are writing on here at the drop of a hat. By the way several of my American buddies have processed the business visa with an offshore local visa agent before this B211A became available. They came and went. No problems. My sibling is processing the visa as well with the recent B211A. Do you need their own testimonials?
"Randy, when people write that they are not coming until VOA is renewed, that is nothing to do with sovereignty. I think that is most stupid, unpleasant and arrogant opinion I have read on these comments." I rest my case that you still cannot define the policy of another country. By the way, the arrogant one who wrote how much money he has spent usually does NOT rub shoulders with the locals nor immerse in the local culture. That is something so obvious that it does not need to be explained further.
Big corporations who control the tourism will be earning the big bucks. However the mom and pop stores, private villas and restaurants with Indonesian partners usually do suffer.
Keith
Monday 21st of February 2022
I wholeheartedly agree with Wayan Suena. I know many West Australians who regularly visit Bali multiple time each year. Their unanimous reaction to the $pp visa, forced 5 day quarantine and travel insurance coverage has been - "I won't go!". The government needs to take a pragmatic view and encourage visitors to return. My wife and daughter, whom I have not seen since Nov 2020 live in Bali. If these restrictions remain in force we will travel to meet in a country where such onerous restrictions do not apply e.g. Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam
Bob Harbot
Monday 21st of February 2022
Biggest winners in this is Thailand , Vietnam , Phillipines and the like .They need to open up and quickly before all the tourists go to other more welcoming countries
RA
Sunday 20th of February 2022
When the VoA is not possible, Bali will not get back many tourists soon. I really want to fly in April, also got a offer for the hotel, but now I saw how complicated the process is for the Visa and I am surely not paying around 200USD for the help to get perhaps a e-Visa or have to travel to a ambassador here in Switzerland and lose a whole day. I hope they lift this restriction very soon, otherwise many people like me from Switzerland are booking Thailand, Vietnam etc and not Indonesia. Same with the testing procedure, just not needed anymore with Omikron as it is a lot less problematic than the Delta-variant and when you are vaccinated, the chance of getting really sick is minimal.