Bali is one of the most sought-after destinations for beach vacations worldwide. But its opening to visitors has been delayed again - probably until the end of 2022.
While vacations in Europe have been possible for the most part this year, long-haul travelers - especially to Asia – must still be patient. Just recently, the government of Thailand announced that while planning to open to tourists in July, the country will welcome visitors in October. Now, Indonesia with the popular vacation island of Bali also announces bad news: It is unlikely to be open to tourists until the third or fourth quarter of 2022.
Bali Plans to Relaunch Tourism at the End of 2022
Bali shut itself off as early as May 2020 due to the Corona pandemic and has since submitted several plans to open up tourism. Most recently, a reboot of the industry was planned for July 2021, but this too was postponed by Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno due to rising infection figures.
According to a local media report, the Bali Tourism Ministry now wants to wait until the G20 summit in the fall to open its borders. The exact dates of the summit have not yet been set, though they are expected in October or November. Bali is one of the most popular sites in Indonesia. The government hopes to gradually roll out the tourism reboot a few weeks before the G20 meeting.
Current Corona Situation in Bali
Bali has been hit hard by the Corona pandemic - both infection and death rates are very high. Currently, according to data from John Hopkins University, 12.88 percent of Indonesia's population is fully vaccinated, but in Bali, more than 70 percent have reportedly already received the first dose of the vaccine. However, the long lockdown is likely to have a severe impact on the economy of the Indonesian island, which is heavily dependent on tourism. The consequences will probably only be felt in the coming years.