free bali staycation by indonesia to test tourism readiness

4,400 Residents are being offered free tours and staycations at Bali by Indonesian government in a seven week tourism stress testing dry run to promote holiday hotspot and test its health protocols against corona virus.

Tourism was halted by the authorities in Bali in April to prevent the spread of the corona virus outbreak which devastated the economy. However in July it has been reopened to domestic tourism but it is still struggling to get back on the track and 

has also seen infection numbers climb.

I Putu Astawa, chief of Bali's tourism agency, told Reuters that 4,440 participants would be separated into 12 groups and given two-night stays at resorts between Oct. 7 and Nov. 27 to test out measures designed to keep visitors safe.

The trips will include local tours and participants are expected to promote "New Normal Bali" on social media.

Last year Bali had more than 10 million visitors, out of which 6.3 million were foreign tourists. The staycation plan was announced on a day when Indonesia reported 4,634 new coronavirus cases, a record for new daily infections, bringing the total number to 262,022. Its death toll of 10,105 is Southeast Asia's biggest.

Bali recorded average 48 cases per day in August 1st to August 23. In September the count moved to 127 cases on an average per day. 

Bali had initially weathered the health crisis better than other parts of Indonesia, but coronavirus cases spiked after it reopened to domestic tourism. "Lots of people gather and throw parties at the beach," said I Gusti Agung Ngurah Anom, chairman of the Indonesian medical association in Bali.