false hopes of reopening bali tires bali tourism association

The tourism association in Pemuteran, Buleleng has admitted that they’re getting tired of the false hope that they have been receiving from the government.

I Ketut Sutrawan Selamat, the Head of the Travel Conscious Group (Pokdarwis) Segara Giri Pemutera, confessed that most tourism enterprises in the northern Bali region have been waiting for the restoration of the international travel corridor for Bali. He also complained about the inconsistency of the government's policy, which tends to change without warning before being implemented.

Many of the lodging establishments that began to receive reservations in June 2021 were disappointed when the government abruptly enacted the emergency partial lockdown in early July 2021. “We had previously completed our preparations and marketed our businesses till we finally received some bookings in June, but when the delta strain of Coronavirus struck, the government reversed the policy quickly. As a result, it appears that we are unprofessional because we must continually update the information we provide to our clients.” Selamat explained.

He explained that many companies decided to sell their assets in order to pay their employees. Meanwhile, Ketut Suwarmawan, spokesman for the Buleleng Covid-19 Handling Task Force, stated that authorities have been preparing the infrastructure before Bali can officially reopen its border to foreign travelers. “While waiting for reopening instructions from the national and provincial governments, we have been constructing a better infrastructure, such as putting a tracing app called PeduliLindungi in all our tourist places and ensuring that all preventative mechanisms are effectively implemented.” Suwarmawan said.