Bali Prepared For Welcoming Foreign Tourist
The COVID-19 pandemic that started in 2020 has damaged various business sectors in many countries, especially tourism. Indonesia, which is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world, is also affected by that. One of the popular destinations in Indonesia, Bali, was emptied. No tourist wandering around and enjoying the cultural performance or natural scenery of this beautiful island. However, we have good news for you.
There is a plan from the Indonesian government and Bali local government to reopen Bali for foreign tourists. This time, they even are planning to provide the non-quarantine and Visa-On-Arrival requirement. The news shows that the Governor of Bali has approved this plan. It also looks very official. Yet, we haven’t seen it officially announced on the official website. So, we might have to wait for it.
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The Visa-on-Arrival itself is a real one. This type of Visa has been issued by the Indonesian government for 23 countries. To acquire it, the tourist must follow three procedures, which are the pre-departure, arrival, and day 3 PCR-RT test.
You don’t need to enter a quarantine period during your visit. However, it is only applicable for you who take an international flight directly to Bali. If you visit other areas in Indonesia, you still need the quarantine period. But, to prevent the spread of the virus to another area in Indonesia, the tourists that leave Bali also have to take a PCR-RT test.
Eligible Countries for Visa-on-Arrival
Below we have listed the 23 countries that are eligible to get Visa-on-Arrival for Indonesia visit. They are:
- Australia
- United States
- UK
- German
- Netherlands
- France
- Qatar
- Japan
- South Korea
- Canada
- Italy
- New Zealand
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- Malaysia
- Thailand
- Singapore
- Brunei Darussalam
- Vietnam
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Cambodia
- Philippines
With that many countries accepting this Visa type, the government hopes to recover Bali’s tourism condition to its initial form. When the pandemic attacked, it hit the tourism sector in Bali hard. Now, this will open the door for the recovery process of this sector. But, we might have to wait and see if it still attracts more attention from foreign tourists after this big news, especially with the very strict COVID restriction still being applied.
The Benefits of Visa-on-Arrival
We see that the application of Visa-on-Arrival is one of the efforts from the government to attract more people to visit Bali. If we use the standard method to acquire a Visa to visit Indonesia, that would take a lot of time and money. However, with Visa-on-Arrival, the visitor doesn’t need to apply for a Visa in advance. They can get it once they arrive in Bali, so it doesn’t require too many preparations to visit this island. And, that no-time-wasting and the cheaper process is surely beneficial for the traveler.
On the other hand, there are some requirements to enter Bali for foreign tourists, such as:
- They have to show proof of vaccination or booster,
- They have to take a PCR test upon arrival before exploring and visiting public areas,
- If the visitor got a positive result from the test, they have to enter the isolation period at the appointed place,
- They must own insurance for COVID with a value up to $100,000
- They must take another PCR test before leaving Bali for other areas in Indonesia.
Can Bali Recover and Get Back Its Popularity as a Tourist Destination?
One of many things that make Bali popular as a vacation destination is its close-to-nature vacation. Indeed, Bali also has one of the best nightlife. However, many tourists visit this island to get adventure feelings and the way to rejuvenate their body and soul. It is the freedom that makes this island become one of the best destinations for your vacation.
So, we think, with the application of this new plan or rule by the government, there is a huge chance that Bali could recover its glory. Bali’s economy was 60% based on tourism. So, when the tourist visits Bali in the future, probably this year, freely, the locals will be ready to welcome them. They also will give much better service than before because they knew and understood how important tourism is for Bali. Therefore, it is only about the time that Bali becomes one of the top destinations for a vacation in the world, once more.
Final Words
The decision to reopen Bali with Visa-on-Arrival and no quarantine rule is indeed the best decision for Bali. It helps Bali to recover faster. More importantly, it gives you and other people a chance to enjoy this beautiful island. Let’s hope that this plan will go well and be official as soon as possible. So, we can enjoy the Kuta Beach sunset, surf at Padang Padang beach, relax in the Tegalalang paddy field, and of course, taste the spicy Balinese cuisine.