As a result of the pandemic, the tourism industry being the sector that has been the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government of Indonesia in 2021 trying to find ways to restore it, one way is to reopen Bali to foreign tourists.
We know that Bali is a place that is considered the most missed by tourists. For the first time in the history of the Balinese economy, it contracted 12 percent in 2020. It becomes a fact if Bali is one of the areas that has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It become a heavy-duty for the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Uno.
Uno decided to focus on restoring the tourism sector in Bali by encouraging the recovery of the tourism industry through the Free COVID Corridor program.
As cited from VOI, Uno said in a virtual discussion, Monday, March 1, 2021, that he will open a zone called the green zone.
“We are also sharpening about the Free Covid Corridor because we need to be careful, of course, to see the possibility that we will open a zone, called the green zone. This may be the place in Nusa Dua and in Ubud, maybe later it can be expanded to Nusa Penida and several other locations,” he said.
Uno explained that the program was a proposal from tourism and creative economy actors in Bali.
The Free Covid Corridor program comes from the projection made by international economic and financial institutions that the Indonesian economy this year will grow positively.
For that program, he admitted that he invited many ambassadors from a number of countries to meet in Bali and other tourist destinations.
The goal is to see the readiness of the government in opening tourism destinations, but he also revealed that the planned opening of tourism is also very dependent on efforts to deal with COVID-19 in Bali.
Bali Governor I Wayan Koster explained that to become a green zone, the two areas selected in the Free Covid Corridor program, namely Nusa Dua and Ubud.
But he said that it requires 120 thousand doses of vaccine to be injected into tourism industry players and local residents.
Furthermore, he said, his party would start opening tourist visits for domestic tourists no later than May in Nusa Dua and Ubud.
I Wayan Koster said that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was devastating for the Balinese economy. He said, the impact this time was more devastating than during the post-Bali bombing tragedy I and II.
“In the past, the Bali’s economy has been disrupted due to terrorism, the Bali I bombing and the Bali II bombing, the Mount Agung eruption, SARS. But the impact was not as severe as the COVID-19 pandemic, “he said.
Wayan said after this outbreak was widespread in 216 countries, many tourists can not visit Bali due to the Minister of Law and Human Rights regulation. So, tourism in Bali automatically stops.
“Because the regulation prohibits foreigners from other countries to traveling to Indonesia,” he said.
Wayan also revealed, as a result of the pandemic, hotels and restaurants were empty of visitors. Of course, it gives affects the economy of Bali as a tourist destination. In 2020, Bali’s economic growth experienced the deepest contraction, reaching 12 percent.