October 6, 2021
Sanur ready to welcome tourists + Here are Bali’s 35 quarantine hotels + Covid testing rates continues to decline + more
Good morning!
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Weather & Tides
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Meteorology, Climatology & Geophysics Council (Link)
Tide table from Tide-forecast.com.
Daily Covid Update
National Figures
Local Figures
The Big News
“Sanur is Ready to Welcome Foreign Tourists” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): The opening of international flights from I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport as of October 14 was enthusiastically responded to by the people of Sanur. This was conveyed by the Bendesa Intaran Traditional Village, I Gusti Agung Alit Kencana, on Tuesday. He said Sanur had made preparations long ago to welcome the opening of Bali's international tourism. Agung Kencana said Sanur's facilities and infrastructure have enough equipment to welcome tourists. When it was mentioned that the PeduliLindungi app had not been used for entering Sanur Beach, Agung Kencana admitted that he had submitted a request for five PeduliLindungi scanners to the government but so far they have not received any shipments. "We have registered on September 22, but until now there has been no response," said Agung Kencana.
“Here Are Bali’s 35 Quarantine Hotels” from CNBC Indonesia (Indonesian): The government will reopen Bali to foreign tourists starting on October 14. However, every foreign tourist must follow several terms and conditions, including quarantine obligations. Every international arrival passenger must have proof of hotel booking for a minimum of eight days of quarantine at their own expense. In this regard, the Bali Provincial Government has selected dozens of hotels to facilitate this quarantine. "35 hotels have been selected for quarantine," Bali Deputy Governor Tjok Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati (Cok Ace) said on Tuesday.
Context: You can see the list of the 35 hotels here. The properties are concentrated in Nusa Dua, Kuta, Ubud and Sanur. Large resort complexes and luxury hotels are well-represented.
“PPKM Java-Bali Testing Targets Continue to Decline” from CNN Indonesia (Indonesian): Epidemiologist Dicky Budiman has highlighted the declining target of Covid-19 testing during the Java-Bali PPKM. "Seeing that the targets in the Ministry of Home Affairs are very small and very dangerous. Because our testing is not yet ideal nationally, the 3T strategy is our foundation in controlling the pandemic," said Dicky on Tuesday. The target is known to decrease every time the latest PPKM policy is issued. For example, from September 21 to October 4, the target for testing in areas that carried out PPKM was 31,189 people per day, but for October 5-18, the target was reduced to 26,910 per day.
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Other Headlines
“Fourteen Countries Targeted for Bali Reopening” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian): The chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association Badung, I Gusti Agung Rai Suryawijaya, said that there were at least 14 countries that would bring in tourists. "So there are at least 14 countries that are eyed at the opening of this international tourism. All of these countries have Covid-19 cases that have dropped dramatically," he said. The 14 countries he mentioned include the United States, Dubai, Greece, France, Finland and China. "I don't really know the whole thing, what is clear is that there are 14 countries that tourists are expected to come to Bali," he said.
Context: The Chairman’s comments should be seen as speculative, but they are reflective of a desire within the hospitality industry to see the number of countries Bali is targeted expanded.
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services
“New Variant Not Yet Confirmed in Five Infected Athletes” from Antara: It is yet to be confirmed whether five Jakarta athletes who have contracted COVID-19 while participating in Papua's PON National Games XX have been infected with a new variant, an official has said. The new variant can be detected only after the genome sequence has been examined, and the tool to conduct it is only available at the Jakarta Health Office, Dwi Oktavia, said on Tuesday.
More...
Nation: “Covid-19 Handling Cannot Be Separated From TNI’s Role” from Antara
Buleleng: “Fifteen Attractions in Buleleng Activate PeduliLindungi” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Denpasar: “Active Cases in Denpasar Continue to Decrease” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Klungkung: “Dozens of Children Orphaned by Covid-19” from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
“Government Targets 100% Electrification in 2022” from Antara: The government is committed to increasing electricity access for people living in the outermost, remote, and underdeveloped areas through the 100% electrification target next year, the Energy and Mineral Resources Minister has said. "We have a program to provide new electricity installations. Some 80,000 connections have been allocated in the state budget for the 2022 term," Minister Arifin Tasrif said on Tuesday. According to the data from the ministry, the national average electrification ratio reached 99.37% in July 2021. Currently, there are several provinces which need special attention—East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and Papua, Tasrif said.
More...
Nation: “Jakarta Flight Passenger Limit Dismissed” from Indonesia Expat
Nation: “North Lombok Relies on Agriculture to Restore Economy” from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian)
Bangli: “Bangli Lays 54% of Bali’s Eggs” from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Education
“Police Find Teachers and Students Neglect Prokes” from Kompas (Indonesian): Police in Buleleng conducted a surprise inspection at two high schools that held face-to-face learning on Tuesday. Buleleng Police Chief AKBP Andrian Pramudianto said the first inspection was carried out at SMK Negeri 1 Singaraja. When checking the classrooms one by one he found that there were teachers and students who ignored health protocols. Adrian said his party immediately reprimanded the students and teachers in the classroom. "Please wear a good mask especially in one room and don't ignore the Covid-19 process," he said.
Bali Reopening
“No Airlines Have Proposed International Time Slots to Ngurah Rai Airport” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian): Although the government has set a date for Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport to be opened internationally on October 14, no airline has submitted an application for international flights. "Until now, we haven't, but there are issues with informal talks, such as AirAsia, Qatar, Emirates, but there are no official submissions," said Stakeholder Relations Manager Angkasa Pura I Airport Branch Office, International I Gusti Ngurah Rai, Taufan Yudhistira, on Tuesday. According to Taufan, perhaps the airline's strategy is whether to start selling tickets or not from now on. "Until now (the airline has proposed a slot time) but maybe our airline friends and our technical team have verbal coordination, but there is no formal coordination yet.
More...
Province: “Procedures for International Tourists at Banda Ngurah Rai in Bali” from Republika (Indonesian)
Province: “Foreigners Hope for Quarantine Rule Transparency” from CNN Indonesia (Indonesian)
“Tourism Businesses Hope Quarantine Rules Are Revised” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): Tourism businesses hope that the quarantine requirements are dynamic and tentative. “With a count of eight days in quarantine, we are pessimistic for foreign tourists to choose Bali. Because their visit was constrained by time,” said Nyoman Badri, the owner of a hotel in Ubud, on Tuesday. Transportation services also responded pessimistically, the chairman of the Padang Tegal Kelod Transportation Drivers Association, Ubud, I Putu Ardita said his party is pessimistic that tourists will visit Bali if the government implements the eight-day quarantine rule. “An eight-day quarantine period is unrealistic. It is rare for foreign tourists to vacation in Bali for more than a week,” he said.
Context: Other media reports quoted Bali Governor Wayan Koster saying the quarantine period would not be relaxed in the short term as there was a need to be careful (Indonesian).
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Of Interest
“Man Arrested for Alleged Deer Hunting at West Bali National Park” from Coconuts Bali
“Mount Agung Climber from Jakarta Evacuated” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
“Nusa Lembongan Residents Ask For Sunken Barge to be Removed” from Bali Post (Indonesian)
“Mui Says Transgender People Are a ‘Disgrace’” from Coconuts Bali
How You Can Help Bali
In response to the collapse of the tourism sector in Bali and the resulting economic crisis due to Covid19, tens of thousands of families have found themselves with a greatly reduced income—if any. By the middle of 2020, over 100,000 people on Bali had lost their job. While government support has been limited, Indonesians and foreigners have sprung into action, raising funds and distributing badly needed food and everyday essentials to those most in need.
We've been raising awareness of these efforts, and if you’d like to make a contribution of any kind, you can see a list of some organisations here. Further projects have registered themselves with Bali Solidarity. If you know of an effort and would like to have them listed, please send their information to TheBaliBeat@outlanders.global
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