The government is introducing a trial for entry without quarantine for foreign travellers arriving in Bali.
The trial is slated to begin on 14th March 2022.
“The government will also conduct a trial without quarantine for overseas travellers who come to Bali and it is planned to take effect on 14th March with several conditions,” said Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in a virtual press conference on Sunday 27th February 2022.
Pandjaitan said the quarantine-free trial in Bali could even be implemented before 14th March. According to him, the trial will be accelerated if the trend of COVID-19 cases in Bali decreases in the next week.
“We could speed up 14th March to a different date if the data will improve during the next week. In Bali, it seems that yesterday we saw the numbers continue to improve in the last few weeks,” he said.
In this trial, Pandjaitan continued, foreign travellers who arrive in Bali will need to have a complete vaccine or booster. After that, they will undergo a one-time PCR test and this will need to be returned negative.
“Tourists who come must show proof of hotel payment that has been paid for at least four days or show proof of domicile in Bali for Indonesian citizens. Incoming tourists must have been fully vaccinated or have a booster. Tourists will then take a PCR test and wait in hotel rooms until negative test results come out,” Pandjaitan explained.
“After testing negative, the tourists will be free to do their activities with the procedures still being applied. Tourists will carry out another PCR test on their third day at their respective hotels. This is for our mutual safety,” he continued.
Meanwhile, international events held in Bali during the trial period without quarantine will apply the provisions of daily antigen testing to all participants without exception.
“There will also be a revocation of the obligation to have a guarantor sponsor for tourist e-visa requests because it is considered burdensome for foreign tourists who will enter,” he said.
Bali was chosen as the trial location because the general second-dose vaccination rate recorded was already higher than in other provinces.
Pandjaitan explained that the quarantine-free trial would be implemented throughout Indonesia in the future if the trial in Bali was successful. However, he reminded people that the policy would only take effect if the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia improved.
“If the trial in Bali goes well, then we will expand the no-quarantine policy throughout Indonesia from 1st April or earlier than 1st April, 2022. However, once again, this policy will be carried out based on data on the development of the pandemic going forward,” added Pandjaitan.