Summary:
Reopening of international tourism hotspot Bali has been postponed until at least next year due to a continuous surge in Covid-19 cases.
The island was supposed to be open for tourists from September 11 but now has been delayed.
In a new document signed by the Bali governor, Wayan Koster, officials explain the national government has not given the necessary approvals for the reopening.
Koster said that, after speaking with the minister of foreign affairs, Bali will delay its reopening until 2021 in line with the policies of the central government.
“The situation is not conducive to allowing foreign tourists to come to Indonesia, including to Bali,” he explained.
The Indonesian government currently prohibits citizens from traveling abroad.
Koster said that the central government strongly supports the plan of reopening Bali to foreign tourists, but it requires extreme caution.
Bali has been open to local travelers since the end of July, and as many as 2,500 people have been arriving through its airport every day without causing a spike in infections, Koster said.
The local government will focus on increasing the number of domestic visitors to help the tourism industry and economy recover, he said.