The Bali Provincial Government intends to restrict foreign tourist visits during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays in 2022 in an effort to reduce COVID-19 transmission, given that the previous year-end holiday caused a spike in the number of positive cases.
Tjok Bagus Pemayun, acting head of the Bali Tourism Office, said his organization is planning strategies, including limiting the number of foreign tourists to a maximum of 1,500 per day.
“This is one of the preventive measures to prevent the third wave of the COVID-19 in Bali,” Bagus said on Monday, November 15. As part of preparations for welcoming domestic and international tourists during the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Bali Tourism Office has tightened CHSE (Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environment Sustainability) protocols in 94 tourist attractions. The office has prepared standard operating procedures (SOP) to handle tourists in a number of tourism object areas throughout the province.
“When foreign tourists arrive in Bali, the SOPs include checking travel documents, vaccine certificates, and undergoing PCR testing, after which the foreign tourists will be taken to the hotel to isolate,” he explained.
Since last October 14, Bali has reopened its international doors to tourists from 19 different countries. To increase tourist arrivals, the Bali government has proposed allowing travelers from five additional countries—Australia, the United States, Russia, Germany, and the United Kingdom—to enter Indonesia, particularly Bali. So far, there has been no update on this plan.
Meanwhile, Tabanan Regent Komang Gede Sanjaya stated that his administration is continuing to monitor the implementation of health protocols at tourist attractions. Tourist attraction managers, he claims, have prepared masks and have managed the distance between tourists to reduce the risk of virus transmission.
Check out our Bali Travel Guide to learn more about traveling to Bali.