The Head Alliance of Bali Marginal Tourism (APPMB), Wayan Puspanegara has stated that he will refuse the government’s plan to increase restrictions during the upcoming holiday season.
The provincial government recently announced that they plan to increase restrictions during the upcoming year-end holiday season by implementing a level 3 partial lockdown from the current level 2 that is still being implemented. This was planned to prevent creating another Covid-19 cluster during the holiday season in Bali. “The Provincial government will ban any fireworks for new year’s eve celebrations in all tourism sectors as the level 3 partial lockdown will be implemented,” said Bali Governor, Cok Ace on Saturday (20/11).
As a response to this implementation, Puspanegara said that this policy will potentially affect the tourism sector that he has been trying to revive as domestic visitors finally started coming to the island for vacation. “APPMB will definitely refuse and ask them to revoke this policy as it seems like it was implemented without any logical reasoning and will potentially cause distrust and chaos among the people,” Puspanegara said.
Additionally, he claimed that this policy is not in line with the effort of all the tourism businesses to revive the industry by implementing strict prevention protocols as well as creating a safer tourism environment for tourists. Puspanegara was worried that this news will cause massive cancelations from domestic visitors as they become reluctant to travel due to this policy.
“The news has been rapidly spread to both national and international markets, resulting in massive cancelations from potential domestic visitors while this should be our peak season for tourism. And if they implement this policy, more businesses are expected to go bankrupt as they become unable to cover their overhead costs to keep their businesses running.” Pupanegara concluded.
However, the Vice Governor, Cok Ace stated that the government will still allow new year celebrations with strict prevention protocols in place. “The authorities from the Covid-19 Handling Task Force will supervise the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s celebrations to assure the implementation of prevention protocols in our tourism sectors such as tourist attraction, shopping center and also Churches to prevent Covid-19 transmission during the event.” Cok Ace 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.
Randy
Wednesday 24th of November 2021
The world is not out of the woods yet from this pandemic. Partial restrictions ain't that bad as long people follow the rules. Indonesia does not need another debacle like in last May 2021. We have heard enough of the news abroad of the local dire situation that Western biased media loved to point out all the mistakes that Indonesia have done. Remember Europe is once again the epicenter of Covid-19. Sighs.
Wayan Bo
Tuesday 23rd of November 2021
It’s never to late to hope for miracle’s. - German health minister told yesterday about Covid situation, that until the end of the winter, nearly all persons who are not vaccinated or recovered will die.
Call me All
Tuesday 23rd of November 2021
Having recently returned to Bali from Uk and experienced the current co-vid restrictions I am of the opinion that they are inappropriate,illogical, and not taking account of actual conditions.
Tourists cannot fly without having 2 vaccines and the negative pcr test. I and my fellow traveller, in common with millions of Uk citizens, have also had the booster phizer jab. All the passengers wear masks whilst flying. We are in a virus free bubble.
We have to quarantine in Jakarta, and on arrival must take a pcr test, even though it is only 2 or 3 days from the travel negative pcr. This is not long enough for a new infection to incubate. So I feel is a waste of effort. Far better to have a test 3 days later in quaratine.
Then we travel to the quaratine hotel with a driver, has he been vaccinated and had a recent pcr test? A negative pcr test is later required to leave quarantine and we travel in a local taxi with a driver who is not pcr tested. The reality is that the restrictions placed on the traveller means we are almost certainly not bringing co - vid to the host nation, but because have been in close contact with locals under the present system are exposed to the local infection. ( Although we probably have immunity)
Bali needs to get the ball rolling and show the world it is making progress in re- opening. Re- opening is not a switch you can suddenly turn on and expect thousands of tourists to arrive. It is likely to be a gradual process. So the sooner a gradual progress begins the better. It will also be useful identifying and avoiding any likely difficulties when full re-opening happens.
There is the prospect of a simple, but risk free process for Bali which could out compete Thailand. Many hoteliers have suggested a trial re- opening with very practical features and we have put together some possibilties.
For example :
Bali re-opens with visa on arrival to fully vaccinated and negative pcr tourists.
Tourists can only stay in CHSE hotels . ( In the initial trial period)
The hotel arranges a guest paid pcr test at the hotel on the 3rd day after arrival.
The guests must stay in the hotel and can only go on tours with resort driver who is also pcr tested.
This is still are very restricted co-vid regime, but is actually more simple and risk free than the present procedure. More importantly is far less hassle for the tourists. However there will be a need for careful consideration to restricting guests to their hotel in due course.
The difficulty will be in finding the airlines to fly direct to Bali, so will need to be sought in nearby countries with a record of substantial repeat visits such as Australia, where hopefully many tourists will be happy to take a relaxing stay and not clamour for travelling around.
The danger in not going forward and showing the world some meaningful steps is missing out on 2022 bookings because tourists book well in advance and need some certainty.
Randy
Saturday 27th of November 2021
@Call me All, " Then we travel to the quaratine hotel with a driver, has he been vaccinated and had a recent pcr test? A negative pcr test is later required to leave quarantine and we travel in a local taxi with a driver who is not pcr tested. The reality is that the restrictions placed on the traveller means we are almost certainly not bringing co – vid to the host nation, but because have been in close contact with locals under the present system are exposed to the local infection. ( Although we probably have immunity)" you wrote...
Blue bird Taxi drivers in Jakarta and Gocar drivers are fully vaccinated and are tested regularly by the way. Don't try to underestimate the situation in Jakarta. I have my sources to be updated by.
Btw UK is on the level 4 high risk health travel notice " Do Not Travel" by the US CDC where as Indonesia is on level 1 low risk for covid by the US CDC.
If you feel that the country's regulation is NOT appropriate why travel or return to Bali at all. You should be lucky that you have fully followed the protocols to enter Bali. Breakthrough infections can happen if you let your guards down regardless of your vaccinations. You can still be asymptomatic if you have been exposed.
Stupidcovid
Tuesday 23rd of November 2021
Good job. Bali needs to be revived soon or it'll be too late
Maureen Muntz
Tuesday 23rd of November 2021
When is australia going to be put on the list, we have been a big sapporter to bali, we are angry the goverment wont let us come.olso we are not comming untill thay put visa on arrival, and stop qarantine, why are peaple from india get free visa this is all wrong, you must stop this , or peaple wont come, and go to other country,s you are not helping the peaple, and stop killing the dog,s we are disgusted in how you are killing these animal,s its all about money with this goverment, shame on you we are very angry
Randy
Saturday 27th of November 2021
@Maureen Muntz, there is no such thing as a free visa for Indian citizens anyway. Don't blame a situation on others. Are you for real in down under? Seriously now ...