Bali's vice governor expressed dissatisfaction with the central
government's decision to bar international arrivals from Ngurah Rai
International Airport.
According to a Transportation Ministry circular issued earlier this
week, only two airports have been designated as the two entry points for
international arrivals via air travel: Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in
Tangerang and Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado, the capital of
North Sulawesi. The move followed the government's relaxation of its border
restriction last week.
Ngurah Rai, according to Bali Vice Governor Tjokorda Oka Artha
Ardhana Sukawati, or Cok Ace, should have been considered as one of the
country's international gateways right away.
“Bali [should] be classified as an important arrival [place]
because [the Ngurah Rai airport] has followed the protocols,” Cok Ace stated
yesterday.
In recent weeks, there has been much speculation about Bali closing
its doors to international tourists, with one proposal being to turn the island
into a "tourism sandbox" modelled after Thailand's Phuket.
Cok Ace expressed hope that the central government will reconsider
its decision and designate Bali as a quarantine destination for international
travelers, which would help the island's struggling tourism business.