Bali Announces Extension on International Tourism Restrictions

International tourism for Bali won’t be opening on September 11th as initially planned. This announcement was revealed to companies & employed personnel with the Bali tourism industry on August 22nd. Governor Wayan Koster clarified that reopening international borders in the Bali region wasn’t permitted by the Indonesian Government.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs in Bali told Governor Wayan Koster that international tourism wouldn’t reopen until an undesignated period in 2021. Bali’s Foreign Affairs Minister evoked to Koster than this falls in-line with strategies from the Indonesian Government, and not with the formalized requested made by the Bali region. After Wayan Koster had been informed of the disappointing news, the Governor of Bali held a press conference to clarify their Indonesian Government won’t permit foreign tourist. Koster noted that Bali’s recommendations are conducive with the Government of Indonesia’s COVID-19 strategy.

Governor Wayan Koster in the press conference evoked that Indonesia’s Minister of Law & Human Rights has prohibited international visitors for the foreseeable future. Yasonna Laoly will reconsider the permittance of foreign tourists by January 2021, with borders likely not reopening until March to May is approved. This means that Bali tourism companies & employed personnel are facing twelve months without profits, or viable incomes. It’ll result in the Bali region facing economic hurdles that could take 10+ years for recovery.

The Implications

Under the new announcement from Governor Wayan Koster, it’s expected that multiple Resorts & Hotels in Bali will close down to avoid future losses. This will create an influx of lost jobs, bring potential increases to homeless communities & unemployment figures. The Indonesian Government is aware of these factors towards the extended closure of international borders, citing that COVID-19’s deadly symptoms for their decision. It should be clarified that numerous industries throughout Indonesia face hundreds of millions in losses from this extension.

Bali is globally one of the most popular tourist destinations, and by not backing up a region that increases the Indonesian GDP yearly, the results could be detrimental to Indonesia’s Government. When 2021s GDP is lowered from a consequence of minimal tourist options in Bali, regret amongst politicians in Indonesia will be evident.