All eyes have been on the government since the Coronavirus outbreak led Indonesia to close its borders in March 2020, waiting to see when (and how) the Bali gates will reopen to international travelers. Sandiaga Uno, Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism, kicked out a mass immunization program in Bali on March 22nd, 2021, with ambitions to reopen “Green Zones” to international tourists by 2022.
The “Green Zones” of Bali: What We Know
Sandiaga Uno, Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism, has suggested a “travel corridor arrangement” with a number of nations, including China, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and others. He also launched a mass immunization campaign in the Gianyar Regency, with the goal of creating three “Green Zones” on the island of Bali. So far, Ubud, Sanur, and Nusa Dua have been recognized as “Green Zones.”
What is the strategy for Bali’s re-opening?
The first phase of the reopening
On July 9th, 2020, the first phase of reopening began, with the goal of restarting local businesses and commerce. Phase 1 allows local businesses, venues, and commerce to operate, according to the National Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling Covid-19, including health services, restaurants, government offices, customs, local and traditional markets, transportation, agriculture, and places of worship, to name a few. Attractions for tourists, on the other hand, remained closed until Phase 2.
The third phase of the reopening
The proposal to reopen Bali to international tourism and overseas visitors is part of the third and last phase of the reopening. Phase 3 was supposed to start on September 11th, 2020, but it was postponed indefinitely due to developments with Covid-19.
The island, however, might reopen to tourists as early as 2022, thanks to fresh initiatives by Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism. Although precise specifics are still unknown, we do know that the three proposed “Green Zones” have successfully implemented a mass vaccination campaign in order to build an immunised society that is safe for vaccinated overseas tourists.
Don’t forget that previous reopening plans were pushed back
While we are ecstatic at the idea of Bali’s borders reopening, we must keep in mind that plans are subject to change. After all, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard of a possible reopening being delayed. Bali’s governor had hoped to launch international tourism in September 2020, but later stated that the current scenario in Indonesia is not yet suitable to foreign tourists visiting the country (including Bali). As a result, the Temporary Prohibition of Foreigners Entering the Republic of Indonesia’s Territory remained in place.
Most governments throughout the world, according to Koster, do not yet enable their residents to freely travel abroad, implying that Indonesia will follow suit. He noted that the Covid-19 pandemic is still active, and that reopening too soon might jeopardize Indonesian residents’ health and safety.