Although no firm date has been set, Indonesian authorities say plans are already in place to allow a partial reopening of the Bali Travel Corridor as a first step towards welcoming international tourists.
The plan would involve offering tourist visas to travellers from countries whose vaccination programs are already well advanced.
Bali already has over 70% of it’s population vaccinated and was planning to reopen its borders to international tourists in June but plans were put on hold after the deadly Delta variant swept through the neighbouring island of Java, causing mass hospitalisations and deaths.
Non-leisure travel to Indonesia is presently only possible via Jakarta as well as the West Javanese port city of Surabaya and all people travelling into and around Indonesia must be fully vaccinated. It is believed that tourists would also need to be fully vaccinated once the Bali Travel Corridor reopens.
However, Bali is presently under Level 4 restrictions and won’t reopen to tourists until it falls to Level 2, at which point certain areas could be given the green light to begin accepting overseas travellers.
The head of the Bali Tourism Agency, I Putu Astawa says that preparations are already in place including all tourism staff being fully vaccinated and all accommodation facilities having received Health Safety and Environment certification.
While a date for reopening the Travel Corridor has yet be announced, it appears that restrictions could begin to ease as early as next month.