Bali Confident to Meet Foreign Visitors Target as WHO Lifts Covid Emergency Status

Chines tourists arrive at Bali

The World Health Organization has lifted the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) for COVID-19 last week. Bali welcomes the announcement with joy, with officials saying it is good news for the tourism industry.

Tjok Bagus Pemayun, head of the Bali Tourism Office, said that the news raises confidence that the island will meet its tourist visits, even though there has yet to be an official response from the central government about the WHO's declaration.

"Regardless [of WHO's announcement], [Covid-19] in Indonesia is still being handled by the Task Force. What will the policy be—all we have to do is implement it. But on one hand, the tourism component is very welcome, as it will facilitate the movement of tourists from all over the world to Bali," Pemayun said on Monday, May 8.

This year, Bali is targeting to receive 4.5 million foreign tourist visits.

To date, Bali has recorded 1,484,000 foreign arrivals, mostly from Australia, India, Russia, Singapore, England, America, Malaysia, South Korea, Germany and China, Pemayun said.

*Source: Pacific Asia Travel Association communications@PATA.org