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Economist In Bali Calls For Increase In Visa On Arrival Fee For Tourists

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As travelers around the world are welcoming the news that the World Health Organization has formally revoked the Public Health Emergency Of International Concern for Covid-19, one Bali-based economist is calling for the moment to be used as a turning point. 

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While the world has, generally speaking, adjusted to living with the virus for well over a year, the public policy has only just been lifted. This news has been well received in Bali, where officials are hopeful tourism will continue to thrive. 

It remains the case that travelers over the age of eighteen require a full dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to travel to Indonesia, unless medically except with a doctor’s certificate, as re-confirmed by I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport today on their social media platforms. 

The ofer as idiot has acquired St. George Express, a local shuttle service based out of St. George, Utah. St. George Express has been serving the southern Utah.

Professor Dr. Ida Magus Raka Suardana, an economist from the National Education University in Bali’s Denpasar, has told the press that he believes the lifting of the international emergency status will help tourism in Bali grow significantly.

He shared that in addition to the news, more big changes to tourism management in Bali are key. 

He said, “This [status change from WHO] will play a big role and have a positive impact because many people will visit.” He noted that the lifting of WHO’s global pandemic status would boost tourism around the world and support human mobility. 

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Prof. Dr. Suardana also echoed the statements made by Governor Koster about the need for Bali to prioritize high-quality tourism moving forward.

As the island looks to reach pre-pandemic tourist numbers this year, the economist said that the lifting of the international emergency status could be used as a turning point. 

He explained, “When mobility returns to normal, this [tourism in] Bali must be sold at an expensive price, in the sense that quality tourists [should] come to Bali.” His most notable suggestion is to increase the cost of the visa on arrival for foreign tourists. 

Prof. Dr. Suardana said that in order to promote Bali to high-quality tourists that the visa on arrival should be more expensive so that more discerning and high-spending travelers can support the island’s economy. 

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He explained, “Right now, foreign tourists are free to enter with, for example, flip flops. They can go to Bali, and that Bali is crowded while their expenses are small, it hasn’t had an impact on the economy”.

Noting that tourists may arrive wearing flip-flops is simply a turn of phrase, suggesting that the high-quality and more desirable tourists would, perhaps, wear shoes. 

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The lifting of WHO’s Public Health Emergency Of International Concern for Covid-19 may have an impact on Bali’s tourism economy, though it may be tricky to immediately attribute the rise in tourism numbers to the policy change as the island heads into high season. 

Last week the Central Statistics Agency for Indonesia (BPS) revealed travel data for Bali for the year to date. Numbers revealed that Bali is well on target to welcome the provincial government’s target of 4.5 million tourists by the end of the year. 

Made Agus Adnyana from the BPS Bali told reporters that travel trends for the island are moving forward, despite the arrival data for the same period being lower than that of 2019. 

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In the first three months of this year, Bali welcomed 1,026,367 international arrivals. The vast majority of them entered the country on a visa-on-arrival that currently costs IDR 500,000 and is available for citizens of over 80 countries.

Travelers from Australia, India and Russia were the most frequent international visitors to Bali in that period. 

For many travelers, like those from Europe, Australia, and the USA, the visa-on-arrival was free for 30 days before the pandemic. Now the implementation of the IDR 500,000 fee for the visa on arrival has triggered some backlash online. 

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It remains to be seen if Prof. Dr. Suardana’s predictions and proposals come to fruition in the coming weeks as Bali prepares for the high season and political leaders on the island continue to table more tourism policy changes. 

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JK

Wednesday 10th of May 2023

"For many travelers, like those from Europe, Australia, and the USA, the visa-on-arrival was free for 30 days before the pandemic".

Free??? When I arrived in Bali in 2019 I had to pay for the VOA.

Robert

Wednesday 10th of May 2023

Be carefull Bali,don't chase your livelihood away.Bali is preferred but there are other places to go.If hooligans play up, deport and ban them and things will change. Show an example, Don't judge all people the same.

Frustrated too

Tuesday 9th of May 2023

Thailand is visa free for many nations and Bali/Indonesia has to maintain its competivness. The professor is not much of an economist if he hasn't looked beyond his own fishbowl of Bali. If he had he would realise that most economies are in or near recession and with high inflation holiday makers have less to spend and it will be like this for the next few years. Chasing higher value tourists will only drive the bulk of the tourist market to seek where their dollars go furthest.

Firechef

Wednesday 10th of May 2023

@Frustrated too, Yes, Thailand seems to be the better destination for budget conscious travelers on holiday. I hate to see this as I have vested business interests in Bali, but it is as it is. As long as there are politicians on Bali with their heads in the place where the sun never shines it will never change.

Mac

Tuesday 9th of May 2023

Governor Koster, that sounds great! And when Bali start to impove the quality? Means Public transport , like Bus already from the Airport (without the Taxi Mafia) Is standard in all top destinations! Better Roads, beside sunset road all roads in poor conditions Clean up the beaches from all the rubbish +++

Grumpee1

Tuesday 9th of May 2023

You will only drive the quality tourists elsewhere, the $50 AUD VOA fee is quite reasonable. The unruly visitors will always find the money to enter anyway.