The Ministry of Tourism and the Creative Economic is preparing to reopen Batam and Bali as Indonesian as international tourism destinations. As part of the reopening of these two destinations to international tourism, the Tourism Ministry and Department of Foreign Affairs are finalizing the creation of travel corridors to four foreign destinations.
As reported by Beritabali.com, The Minister of Tourism and the Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno said that Retno Marsudi, the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, has said that four countries targeted to create travel corridors are the UAE, Singapore, China, and The Netherlands. Speaking during a virtual press briefing on Monday, 22 March 2021, Minister Sandiaga said: “As discussed during a working meeting last week, the Minister of Foreign Affairs indicated that there are four countries about which the finalization of a travel corridor are being discussed: the UAE, Singapore, China, and Holland. Because this involves point-to-point travel, procedures for arrival and departing a country for each country are necessary.”
The Tourism Minister emphasized that the final decision on the opening of travel corridors remains the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ authority in coordination with the Ministry of Health to monitor the development of new cases of the coronavirus and monitor the potential of foreigners being contaminated in Indonesia.
“The authority to determine travel corridors is controlled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Minister who can decide to open travel corridors. Certainly, we (Ministry of Tourism) will include the Ministry of Health in connection with considering any newly discovered strains of the coronavirus,” said Minister Sandiaga Uno.
While awaiting the finalization of the proposed travel corridors with the four subject countries, The Minister of Tourism and the Creative Economy will simultaneously initiate discussions with many other countries, such as Poland and the Ukraine, to join travel corridor pilot projects. Eventually, all tourists coming to Indonesia will be required to follow specific procedures, such as PCR swab tests, requirements for vaccination before arrival, and limitations of access to green areas in Sanur and Nusa Dua in Bali, and Nongsa and Bintan Lagoi in Batam.
Eventually, all tourists will be required to follow specific procedures and steps to enter Indonesia, such as the PCR tests, mandatory vaccination, and limited access to only three green zones in Bali (Ubud, Sanur, and Nusa Dua).
The Tourism Minister said current plans would also open Nongsa and Bintan Lagoi to international tourism in April 2021 and Bali in July of 2021.
Minister Sandiaga said the possibility of reducing the quarantine period for foreign tourists coming to Indonesia is currently under consideration. Many tourists, such as the case of a recent German traveler, who complained that they were compelled to undergo a five-day self-quarantine process and undertake repeated PCR swab tests despite bringing a negative PCR test certification.
The chairman of the Task Force of the Mitigation of COVID-19 (BNPB), Colonel Pas M.A. Silabab, said the quarantine period’s length is now under review. He said a growing number of people had been vaccinated. An increasing number of “negative” results from PCR tests may also pave the way for adjusting the current self-isolation period.