Indonesia offers Bali residents free staycations to test coronavirus protocols
- Tourism to the resort island was halted in April, but now over 4,000 people will get free tours and hotel stays to test measures to keep visitors safe
- The New Normal Bali plan was announced as Indonesia reported 4,634 new Covid-19 cases, its biggest daily rise
Authorities halted tourism in Indonesia’s prime attraction in April to prevent the spread of the virus, devastating its economy.
Though it reopened for local visitors in July, it is struggling to get back on track and has also seen infection numbers climb.
I Putu Astawa, chief of Bali’s tourism agency, said 4,440 participants would be separated into 12 groups and given two-night stays at resorts between October 7 and November 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.
Bali last year had more than 10 million visitors, 6.3 million of which were foreigners, Astawa said.
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.
It was the second day in a row posting a record increase, according to Indonesia’s health ministry.
The country’s death toll rose by 128 to 10,105 – Southeast Asia’s biggest.
Bali had initially weathered the health crisis better than other parts of Indonesia, but coronavirus cases spiked after it reopened to domestic tourism.
On average, Bali recorded 48 cases per day from August 1 to August 23.
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But it recorded an average of 127 cases per day during September.
“Lots of people gather and throw parties at the beach,” said I Gusti Agung Ngurah Anom, chairman of the Indonesian medical association in Bali.
