Bali may not open to tourists for the rest of 2020

In view of the rising Coronavirus cases, it is very likely that Bali is not going to open for foreign tourists anytime soon. All non-essential travel from any foreign country will be barred till the end of 2020. It was earlier reported that Bali will be open for tourism from September 11, a timeline that has been scrapped as of now.

The Indonesian government is still considering whether to open Bali to international visitors in September, with the tourists’ favourite haven shut since April to curb the spread of Coronavirus.
Head of the Bali Provincial Tourism Office Putu Astawa said that the Minister of Law and Human Rights has still not allowed foreign tourists to enter Indonesia. He also added that as long as this regulation is not revoked, the plan to open Bali on September 11 will not go ahead.
Although the government agrees that reopening the country to international tourists is a positive move, the government is seeking the right timing to do that. Meanwhile, the country is planning to establish travel bubbles, which hasn’t been cracked yet. As of now, the Indonesian government is now exploring this possibility, and planning to create a travel bubble scheme that is aimed at reviving its tourism industry.
Apart from Bali, other tourist hotspots that the government will likely propose for the travel bubble scheme have not been disclosed yet. It is very likely that the government would choose smaller islands, such as Belitung in Bangka Belitung Islands, Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, and Bintan in Riau Islands.

Although this might seem to be a bad news for many, there are reports that the Indonesian government is planning to work on regulations that will enable foreigners to work from Bali while on a vacation. An official regulation, allowing workstations in Bali, would likely mean fewer or no visa hassles while staying on the island.