The government has officially imposed a trial to enter Bali without quarantine for PPLN with tourist destinations starting February 7, 2022. The steps taken by the government are a pusher of the economy and tourism sector, especially in Bali.
However, several factors are predicted to cause concern for PPLN who will visit Indonesia. Given these concerns, will the economy and tourism in Bali improve?
Director of the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS) Bhima Yudhistira said that despite the easing of quarantine rules and the recovery of tourist mobility in Indonesia, there are three concerns for PPLN.
The first concern is the Russian-Ukrainian geopolitical situation. The war that occurred between the two countries indirectly caused a sense of worry for foreign tourists who wanted to vacation out of their country.
The second concern is inflation in developed countries such as America and Europe which has risen quite high. This affects people’s purchasing power and interest in traveling abroad.
The last concern is, winter is almost over in America and Europe, where winter occurs in December-March.
“Well, now the winter holidays are almost over in America and Europe, so the peak momentum of the holidays has started to pass. That might also affect it,” said Bhima to Bisnis, Wednesday (9/3/2022).
As previously known, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment as well as the Coordinator of PPKM Java Bali Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said President Jokowi approved the trial of entering Bali without quarantine for Foreign Travel Actors (PPLN) since March 7, 2022.
This policy is influenced by the downward trend in daily confirmed cases that occurred in all provinces in Java and Bali. Hospitalization and death rates have decreased, although there are still areas such as Yogyakarta with increased hospitalization rates.
Several requirements must be complied with even though PPLNs can enter Bali without quarantine. The condition is that the PPLN who comes must show proof of a hotel booking that has been paid for at least four days or show proof of domicile in Bali for Indonesian citizens. The incoming PPLN must also have been fully vaccinated/boostered.
In addition, PPLN must perform an entry PCR test and wait in the hotel room until the negative test result comes out. After being negative, they can be free to do their activities while still following the health protocols. Then, PPLN again conducted a PCR test on the third day at their respective hotels.
Luhut also emphasized the tightening of health protocols and the use of PeduliLindung in various places during the trial. Likewise, the acceleration of booster vaccines in Bali is targeted to reach 30 percent in the next week.
“If this trial is successful, we will apply quarantine exemption for all PPLN on April 1, 2022, or sooner than April 1,” concluded Luhut.
