Indonesia opens Bali to tourists from 19 countries

Indonesia's holiday destination islands of Bali and Riau are open to foreign tourists from 19 countries after 18-month pandemic hiatus. Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, Indonesia's Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment said that the incumbent Indonesian government had permitted tourists from 19 countries to travel to Bali and the Riau Islands. He also noted that the ministry chose the countries based on data showing low positivity rates. However, the United States was notably absent from the list.

 

The countries chosen by Indonesia are China, New Zealand, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Liechtenstein, Italy, France, India, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, and Norway.

 

Eligible travelers from the chosen countries must be fully vaccinated with a second vaccine taken at least 14 days before traveling to Indonesia. They must have insurance coverage for Covid-19 treatment worth at least US $100,000 and pay for their accommodation during a mandatory five-day quarantine period.

 

Bali, Indonesia's leading tourism hotspot, had more than 6 million visitors in 2019 alone. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the island's streets, which would generally be filled with tourists, have been deserted. Many businesses are closed as tourism is the lifeline for the economy of the island.

Bali’s youth is saving the paradise from plastic plague

Bali, one of the best and most preferred beach-holiday destination, is witnessing an overload of plastic, not just on the sands of its beaches, but also in the oceans. A tropical paradise destination, Bali, has been witnessing a record-breaking number of tourists flying into the island every year. The long beaches, palm trees, and its party lifestyle have not just attracted tourists, but also a lot of trash particularly plastic, which lines up the beaches even more than the palm trees do.

More than half of the trash generated ends up in the sea, waterways or on the land due to the lack of sufficient waste disposal plants and collection systems in Bali. Daily beach cleanups are organized by many different groups and other organizations, helping clean the plastic, at least temporarily. The next day, a new wave brings in a new load of plastic from the oceans to its beaches. The fact that tourists generate about 3 times more waste than locals, doesn’t deter the country from welcoming tourists, as a considerable part of its economy is driven by the tourism industry. Bali has started the construction of recycling facilities. Special lessons in environmental science are now being conducted for school children. Proper waste management systems are also being introduced along with the plastic ban.