Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Bali prepared to ease quarantine, visa rules in re-opening push

Bali prepared to ease quarantine, visa rules in re-opening push

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Travellers walk through the arrivals hall at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Indonesia. AFP

Bali prepared to ease quarantine, visa rules in re-opening push

Bali on Monday scrapped quarantine for vaccinated tourists from more than 20 countries and reintroduced visas on arrival as the Indonesian holiday island pushes ahead with re-opening after two years of Covid curbs.

The loosening comes as a wave of Omicron infections wanes across the Southeast Asian archipelago and after some international airlines resumed direct flights in recent weeks.

“President Joko Widodo has agreed to trial a no-quarantine policy for overseas travellers to Bali starting on March 7,” maritime affairs and investment minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said in a briefing.

Visitors will be exempt from isolation if double-jabbed and holding a negative PCR test and will have to show proof of a four-day hotel booking.

Visas on arrival were suspended two years ago when the pandemic first hit Indonesia but will again be available to travellers from 23 nations including Australia, the United States, Britain, Japan and France.

“If this trial succeeds, we will implement a quarantine-free policy to travellers from all countries by April 1 or even earlier,” the minister added.

Bali governor Wayan Koster on Friday said the reforms were critical to reviving the tourism sector, which used to be the island’s largest source of income.

Almost 6.3 million foreign tourists visited the Hindu-majority island in 2019 but numbers plummeted as Indonesia closed its borders to protect itself from the virus.

“We have to offer competitive travelling rules for overseas tourists as other countries have opened their tourism sector earlier,” Koster said.

“Bali’s tourism has been stuck for two years and it is the time for recovery.”

The latest Omicron-fuelled wave of infections peaked last month at around 64,000 daily cases but the number has since dipped significantly to about 25,000 on Sunday.

International flights are now operating again with daily services from Singapore and routes also available between Australia.

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Ream base allegations must end, urges official

    A senior government official urges an end to the allegations and suspicions surrounding the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, now that Prime Minister Hun Manet has addressed the issue on the floor of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78). Jean-Francois Tain, a geopolitical

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • CP denied registration documents by ministry

    The Ministry of Interior will not reissue registration documents to the Candlelight Party (CP). Following a September 21 meeting between ministry secretary of state Bun Honn and CP representatives, the ministry cited the fact that there is no relevant law which would authorise it to do

  • Cambodian diaspora laud Manet’s UN Assembly visit

    Members of the Cambodian diaspora are rallying in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s forthcoming visit to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) in the US’ New York City this week. Their move is an apparent response to a recent call by self-exiled former

  • After three deferrals, Capital Gains Tax to take effect Jan 1, 2024

    The General Department of Taxation (GDT) will implement the Capital Gains Tax starting January 1, 2024 to after being deferred three times as industrial players warn that the implementation might have some negative impact on the property market growth, which is down due to the economic downturn.