VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Diplomatic Forum talk show organized by Voice of Indonesia in Bali on Friday (10/11/21) - 

The policy of the Indonesian government to open international flights to Bali has not given the impact yet. Head of Tourism Marketing of Bali Provincial Tourism Office, Ida Ayu Indah Yustikarini at the Diplomatic Forum talk show organized by Voice of Indonesia in Bali on Friday explained that until now, there had been no foreign tourist visits since the opening of the state border in mid-October 2021. 

Yustikarini further noted there were 431 foreign visits to Bali, but they were business people  and not classified as foreign tourists.

"For us in Bali, the impact of  the opening Bali for international flights that has been started since the last 14 October 2021, now for the foreign tourist- well I can say- still zero. But the data we have got  from Bank of Indonesia, we still have foreigners coming to Bali probably as businessmen, for those who are holding the business essentials visa, we have got 431 people. Even though there have been no foreign tourist arrivals, the provincial government of Bali makes sure all parties that Bali is very ready to accept foreign tourist arrivals, even amid  the spread of the Omicron variant" Yustikarini said. 

Yustikarini at the Diplomatic Forum with the theme "The Impact of Opening International Flights to Bali" explained that the readiness of the Province to accept foreign tourists amid the outbreak of the Omicron variant is because the complete dose of vaccination has reached more than 90 percent. 

Meanwhile, related to no foreign tourist visits to Bali, Deputy Chairperson of the Badung Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association Management Agency, Arya Wibawa Raka as one of the speakers at the Diplomatic forum explained that foreign tourist visits were not only related to Indonesian government regulations and Bali readiness but also related to policies of other countries which provide travel permit to Bali. 

"I think you have to understand that we decided to open our border, but that's from our side. How about the other side? What is our Market? Is Australia- for example- that is one of our primary markets. Has the government of Australia allowed their citizens to go traveling overseas? And what is the regulation also in Australia, for their people who's coming back from holiday. This is the kind of thing that we have to understand" Arya Wibawa Raka said. 

In addition, Arya Wibawa Raka asked the government to make diplomatic efforts with other countries' travel permits to convince them that Bali is safe and comfortable to visit, particularly health sector//VOI-BRG