Indonesia

President Jokowi stressed the importance of strengthening ASEAN-US partnership to anticipate possible future pandemic-like situations through at least 4 aspects: cooperation in the development of an effective early detection system through exchange of information; cooperation in establishing regional medical inventory buffers; indepence of the regional health industry, in which the US can offer support through investment support, research cooperation, technology transfer, and access to production raw materials; and regional health financing, such as through the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund

PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) served 4.39 million train passengers from 22 Apr-13 May. It comprises 2,557,130 long-distance train passengers, occupying 95% of the total capacity, and 1,830,904 commuter train passengers. The number is 139% of the 3.15 million target and has reached 64% of 2019’s 6.84 million passengers. KAI operated 4,714 long-distance trains with an average 214 trains per day during the Eid period. Peak of the Eid travel period occurred on 30 Apr with 208,092 passengers, while return traffic peaked on 4 May with 283,736 passengers. Top routes include Jakarta-Yogyakarta, Jakarta-Purwokerto, Jakarta-Semarang, Jakarta-Bandung, Jakarta-Surabaya, and Bandung-Yogyakarta. KAI noted that around 840 passengers were not allowed to travel for being unvaccinated, symptomatic, or for not fulfilling travel requirements

Indonesian tour operators have called for the removal of pre-departure testing requirements to improve competitiveness against neighbouring countries. Ina Leisure Tour and Travel reported that clients have complained that PCR tests in other countries were expensive and hard to secure as they were no longer mandatory

The G20 member states participate in the drafting of the G20 Bali Guideline at the 1st Tourism Working Group. The member states were requested to list best practices from the 5 line of actions to support tourism revival post-pandemic

The Tourism Minister said that the Likupang Special Economic Zone for Tourism will attract a 5 trillion IDR investment until 2040. The investments will help create 65,300 new jobs at the Likupang SEZ. PT Artha Prakarana has committed to investing 70 billion IDR in the resort and beach club business. Maestro & Partner and Dune World will build luxury resorts, while Sejuta Rasa Carpedia will build a beach club. The Likupang Tourism SEZ is being developed in 3 stages, in which the first stage will run from 2020 to 2023, targeting the development of 47.1% of the total land area. The total investment is estimated at 914 billion IDR

Trip.com reported that Indonesia ​​is one of the most popular international routes booked from South Korea

Finance Ministry’s Head of Fiscal Office expects Indonesia’s economic growth to rise above 5% in 2022, noting that the inflation level was “manageable”. Indonesia’s consumer price index hit its highest point since 2017 in Apr

The Tourism Ministry has partnered with Agoda to strengthen domestic and international tourism in Indonesia. The Tourism Minister hopes the partnership can also maximise the ministry’s official site, Indonesia.Travel, to include accommodation booking services, including for tourism villages and homestays. He also hopes that the partnership can raise awareness on the ministry’s “Wonderful Indonesia” and “Welcome Back to Indonesia” campaigns, which will focus not only for Bali but also the 5 Super Priority Destinations

Skyscanner Horizons report revealed that Yogyakarta was 6th in the top trending destinations for APAC travellers, rising 100 ranks compared to 2019’s ranking

Region-owned enterprise TransJakarta reported that its 8 free double-decker tour buses, which were re-operated for the Eid holiday from 3-11 May, served over 56,000 tourists. The service was previously temporarily suspended due to the pandemic

The community in Yensawai, Raja Ampat has successfully transplanted 1,600 coral fragments to a 300 square metres area that were previously damaged due to “destructive human behaviours”, as part of the Coral Triangle Initiative, a 6-country partnership aiming to conserve marine and coastal resources

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture said that Indonesia has “de facto transitioned to the endemic phase”, and noted that if cases don’t increase in the next 2-3 weeks following the Eid holiday, they are optimistic that Indonesia will transition to an endemic phase “soon”

Indonesia’s GDP is expected to grow 3.5%-4% YoY in Q2, according to the Chief Economic Minister

The government has updated the PPKM restrictions for the Java-Bali region: • Work from Office will be allowed at a 50% capacity for vaccinated employees at areas under PPKM Level 3, 75% for Level 2, and 100% for Level 1 • F&B outlets that start operations from 6 pm may operate until 12 am with 25% capacity for areas under PPKM Level 3, until 2 am with 75% capacity for Level 2, and until 2 am with 100% capacity for Level 1. F&B outlets that start operations from the morning or afternoon are permitted to operate until 9 pm, with 50% capacity for Level 3, 75% capacity for Level 2, and 100% capacity for Level 1 • Shopping malls at areas under PPKM Level 3 are permitted to operate until 9 pm with 60% capacity, while those at areas under PPKM Level 2 & 1 are permitted to operate until 10 pm with 75% and 100% capacity, respectively • Places of worship can hold congregational worship with 50% capacity for Level 3, 75% capacity for Level 2, and 100% capacity for Level 1 • Cinemas can operate with 50% capacity for Level 3, 75% capacity for Level 2, and 100% capacity for Level 1. Visitors must have a “green” status on their PeduliLindungi app • Wedding receptions can take place with 50% capacity for Level 3, 75% capacity for Level 2, and 100% capacity for Level 1. Eating and drinking on-site is not permitted • Public areas, parks, and tourism attractions can operate with 50% capacity for Level 3, 75% capacity for Level 2, and 100% capacity for Level 1

The G20 member states have decided at the Tourism Working Group to step up promotions for reskilling and upskilling in language and education for tourism human resources, in order to provide them with the “appropriate expertise” that they need post-pandemic. The G20 member states will also focus on applying digital technologies as a medium of training

The COVID-19 Handling Task Force stated that Indonesia is no longer in a state of emergency in regards to COVID-19, and has begun transitioning into an endemic phase

Yogyakarta has decided to permanently operate its Anita (“All Night and Day Long Informative Tourist Assistance”) hotline, which was originally launched to serve tourists during the Eid holiday

Central Statistics Agency of Bali reported that the unemployment rate in Bali fell by 0.58% to 4.84% in Feb. 2.68 million of the 3.48 million that are of working age in Bali were engaging in regular work in Feb, an increase of 116,410 people YoY

Bali Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association reported that nearly 70% of employees that were laid-off during the pandemic have returned to work. Around 210,000 workers have returned to work, compared to the 300,000 workers in the accommodation and F&B sectors and 25,000 in the transportation sector pre-pandemic. Bali’s economy grew 1.46% QoQ in Q1

Bali Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association reported that daily visitor numbers by air increased from 8,000 to 18,000 per day during the Eid holiday, while the number increased to 15,000 per day via sea routes. International visitor arrivals have increased to 4,000 per day. Hotel occupancy rates in Bali have increased from 30% to 60%, with some hotels even reaching 80% occupancy. Central Statistics Agency of Bali reported that occupancy rate in starred hotels reached 21.9% in Mar, up from 14.8% in Feb

Bali expects an influx of Australian tourists as the Australian winter school holiday approaches in May. Hotel bookings for end-May to Jul have “increased significantly” YoY, with the majority of bookings coming from Australians

Singapore and Indonesia to step up efforts on increasing the number of tourists to both countries. Indonesia’s Tourism Minister said that tourism cooperation is strong between both countries, apparent in the high number of Singaporean visitors for Batam and Bintan in the Riau Islands. Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister believes tourism relations can be improved and hopes there will be more flights, ferries, and other transportation, as well as the “simplification of the process for tourism” between the two countries. Riau Islands Governor hopes the daily quota for foreign tourists could be increased from 300 people per week to 3,000 per week

The Transport Ministry reported that only 53% of the 2.1 million vehicles that left the Greater Jakarta Area during the homecoming period had returned as of 7 May. It also noted that nearly 59% of the 894,000 of those who crossed from Java to Sumatra via Banten’s Merak Port had returned

Statistics Indonesia reported that the consumer price index (CPI) was up 3.47% YoY in Apr, a 33-month high and an increase from 2.64% in Mar. Bank Indonesia has promised to keep inflation within its 2%-4% target range

PPKM has been extended for all regions until 23 May. No more regions were designated as Level 4, Jakarta and Bali stay at Level 2. President Jokowi stated that the government will continue to extend the PPKM “until we are 100% sure that the COVID-19 situation is under control”

The government has urged the public to work from home for 1-2 weeks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 following the end of the Eid holiday that saw high levels of mobility

West Sumatra’s Bukittinggi City welcomed 400,000 visitors during the Eid holiday, with money circulation estimated to reach 80 billion IDR. Around 141,000 visited tourist destinations that required entry fees. The city’s 2,200 hotel rooms and homestays were also nearly fully booked during the holiday

Major developments are underway at the 5 super-priority destinations. The Tourism Minister noted, “if these five destinations have been prepared well this year, next year we will expand”. Ongoing projects include: • Lake Toba in North Sumatra is constructing 7 ports, a highway, a beach area, and a Medan-Lake Toba toll road. Marclan International Group’s Marianna Resort, which will be Lake Toba’s first 5-star hotel, is also expected to start operations by year-end • 7 villages in the vicinity of Central Java’s Borobudur temple are strengthening human resources and improving tourism products for the new integrated destination, Borobudur Highlands, which will focus on adventure tourism, ecotourism, and agrotourism. The project is worth $103.5 million USD and is expected to be completed by 2022 • Labuan Bajo will host 12 side meetings and 5 events of G20, with some held at the new tourism centre, Waterfront City, to be inaugurated in Jun • West Nusa Tenggara is stepping up development of tourism villages across the province • Likupang is drafting a 25-year masterplan to reach 10 million visitors by 2045, with a focus on high-end travellers

The Tourism Ministry to discuss the strengthening of the community as “agents of change” in transforming the tourism industry to be more high-quality and sustainable at G20’s 1st Tourism Working Group. The efforts to strengthen the community will focus on 5 lines of action: human capital, driving local innovation, women and youth empowerment, sustainability, as well as holistic tourism policies, investment conditions, and adequate governance model. The TWG1 will be held on 10-11 May at Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara

Bali to continue expanding the 5G coverage to include all of the airport terminals in the coming months. The 5G coverage is available at Gates 3 and 4 of the domestic terminal as of 29 Apr

Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) urged the government and stakeholders to continue boosting the tourism sector after the Eid holiday. A lodging reservation platform reported that the 4 tourist hotspots during the holiday - Bandung, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and Bali - saw a 13% increase in room reservations compared to week 3 of Apr

Indonesia reported that the economy grew 5.01% YoY in Q1, compared to the 5.02% growth in Q4 2021

Statistics Indonesia reported that Indonesia welcomed 40,790 international visitors in Mar, up 206.25% YoY and 121.02% MoM. Of those, 39,060 visitors arrived by air, up 203.94% YoY. Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport saw 14,617 arrivals, up 487.133% from just 3 in Feb. West Nusa Tenggara’s Lombok Airport and Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport saw a 500% and 128.9% increase, respectively. International arrivals in Q1 totalled 74,380, up 228.24% YoY

The Tourism Ministry to strengthen the socialisation of the “Dos and Don’ts” for tourists when visiting tourism destinations in Indonesia, following recent incidents of behaviours “that are not in accordance with the norms” by international tourists at a number of destinations in Bali

The Tourism Minister reported that money circulation during the Eid holiday period is estimated to have reached 72 trillion IDR. He added that tourism destinations were reportedly crowded and received an influx of visitors, with the numbers reaching the ministry’s target. He predicted that money circulation in Bali could reach 250 billion IDR

Medan’s Tourism Department reported an increase in visitors at the city’s tourist attractions during the Eid holiday, including the Medan Zoo, Asam Kumbang Crocodile Reserve, and Lake Siombak, as well as some historical tourist attractions. The North Sumatra Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association reported that hotel occupancy in Parapat and Berastagi reached 90%-100%, while it reached 50%-60% in Medan

PT Kereta Api Indonesia recorded an average of 7,500 departures from Cirebon stations from 4-7 May, with the peak happening on 5 May at 9,304 departures. The number is expected to reach around 8,500 on 8 May. Usual traffic at the stations averaged at 2,000-3,000 daily

Sleman Regency Tourism Department in Yogyakarta reported that money circulation in the tourism sector is estimated to have reached 1.22 trillion IDR during the Eid holiday period with more than 1 million visitors, comprising 86.68% in the accommodation sector, 48.79% in the F&B sector, and 17.35% each for the transportation sector and souvenir sales. Sleman Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association reported that hotel occupancy reached 90% and the average length of stay also increased to 1.7 days

Jasa Marga reported that the number of vehicles returning to the Greater Jakarta Area from the East (Surabaya, Solo, Semarang, Cirebon and Bandung) reached 170,078 vehicles, up 159% from normal traffic in 2021, and up 2.2% from pre-pandemic record of 166,444 vehicles in 2019’s Eid period

Jasa Marga recorded 815,612 vehicles heading towards the Greater Jakarta Area from 3-6 May, up 51.1% from normal traffic

PT Kereta Api Indonesia recorded 39,300 arrivals by train in Jakarta stations on 6 May, to a total of 111,700 arrivals on 4-6 May. The number is expected to continue to rise until 10 May

The Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu) reported 10,116 tourists from 2-7 May

Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region, reported an increase in visitors in its tourist attractions on 5 May, compared to 4 May. Kaliurang reported 6,116 visitors, up 16% from the previous day’s 5,152. Bhumi Merapi, Tlogo Muncar, Kalikuning Park & Plunyon reported a 20% increase. Gunung Merapi reported 5,797 visitors, up 70% from 4 May’s 3,415. Candi Prambanan welcomed 21,945 visitors, up 89% from 11,626. Taman Tebing Breksi reported a 67% increase, Waterpark Citra Grand 86%, Studio Alam Gamplong Moyuda 62%, Jogja Eksotarium and Sindu Kusuma Edupark 35%. Sleman’s hotels are reportedly still fully booked through to 7 May

All member states of G20 have confirmed their virtual attendance for the Tourism Working Group, including Russia and the US. The Tourism Ministerial Meeting will follow the event in Sep, to be held in-person in Bali. Some Asian G20 members have confirmed their attendance for the meeting, while the US and European countries are still waiting to confirm their attendance

Taman Impian Jaya Ancol (Ancol Dreamland Park) in North Jakarta welcomed 70,000 on 3 May

Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape to open in northern Ubud on 14 Jun. The resort has a “no walls, no doors” concept throughout its property and 16 villas, with a “zero-waste farm-to-table concept, local sourcing philosophy, and heritage techniques” at its Open Kitchen. The concept was developed in collaboration with local consultant group Agency X

The Indonesian National Police reported that Bali has welcomed 435,000 arrivals by air and sea during the Eid period

At least 32,894 travellers arrived in Jakarta by train on 4 May, the day after Eid al-Fitr, of which 11,387 arrived at Gambir Station and 14,101 at Pasar Senen Station

Further East by This is Beyond to return for its 3rd edition in Bali in Nov, connecting luxury travel exhibitors with global travel buyers and top regional and international travel media with a “fully immersive and festival-style experience outside of the meeting room”

Indonesia has added 17 countries to the Visa on Arrival programme, bringing the total to 60 eligible countries, in preparation for the G20 summit. The list now includes South Africa, the US, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Netherlands, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Philippines, Finland, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, the UK, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Cambodia, Canada, South Korea, Croatia, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Myanmar, Norway, France, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, New Zealand, Seychelles, Singapore, Cyrus, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor Leste, China, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Vietnam, and Greece

Jasa Marga reported a record 1.7 million vehicles departing from the Greater Jakarta Area towards East (Trans Java and Bandung), West (Merak), and South (Puncak), up 9.5% compared to 2019’s levels and up 18.6% from Nov 2021, the previous record of highest traffic since the pandemic started

The Tourism Minister to attend the United Nations General Assembly’s High-Level Thematic Debate on 4 May, where he will be a speaker on the development of tourism villages and the implementation of community-based tourism in said developments

Sanur Port saw a record number of 2,752 travellers heading to Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan islands over the Eid weekend, up from 900-1,000 daily in Feb and 1,300 daily in Apr. Travellers are mostly Bali locals, along with domestic tourists from Java. Ticket vendor Jero Citra said “the fleets of boats were tripled and all boats were out on the water”, adding that ticket bookings are high through to mid-May

The Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu) welcomed around 2,000 tourists on 3 May, the second day of Eid al-Fitr. The Transport Minister warned that ships operating at the port to the islands must have a Sailing Order (SPB), in which out of the 31 ships at the port, only 23 are currently eligible

Cibodas Botanical Garden in Cianjur welcomed 1,500 visitors on 2 May, up 10% compared to normal weekends. Taman Bunga Nusantara (Flower Garden) also welcomed around 1,500 visitors, and expects the number to increase around 3 days after Eid

Taman Impian Jaya Ancol tourism complex in Jakarta welcomed at least 24,000 visitors on 2 May, the first day of Eid, and aims to welcome 55,000 visitors per day on 2-8 May

Ragunan Wildlife Park welcomed 29,487 visitors as of 3 pm on 3 May, with more still queuing to get in. The number is expected to rise even more on 4 May

The Manpower Ministry to prepare a “more accurate, targeted scheme for the wage subsidy program (BSU)” for workers with monthly wages of less than $241 USD who are registered with the Workers Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan)

The Asian Development Bank stated that countries like Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam will still face challenges in tourism recovery even as borders reopen and restrictions are eased, as most are largely dependent on Chinese tourists who face tight border restrictions. ADB warned that slow tourism recovery may have long-term impacts such as business closures, delayed investment, and hinder investment in human capital

Jasa Marga Metropolitan Tollroad Regional reported 763,864 vehicles departing Jakarta on the toll road heading to Soekarno-Hatta Airport from 22 Apr-1 May, up 5.49% from normal traffic since Nov 2021

Sukabumi regency in West Java expects 4 million visitors during the Eid holiday

Ticket sales for the Jakarta E-Prix Formula E event started on 1 May. The event will be held on 4 Jun at the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit Ancol, which has a capacity of around 60,000 spectators. Tickets for the event will also include access to various attractions at the Ancol complex including the Dunia Fantasi theme park and SeaWorld, among others

PT Kereta Api Indonesia reported 35,000 travellers departing Jakarta by train on 1 May, including 18,900 departing from Pasar Senen Station and 16,100 from Gambir Station. Occupancy for trains departing Jakarta has reached 100% from 27 Apr-1 May. The Gambir and Pasar Senen Stations offers an average of 36,000 seats per day

The Tourism Minister expects visits to tourism villages to increase 10%-25% during the Eid homecoming period, and tourists are encouraged to stop at the villages as temporary rest zones to prevent traffic accidents due to exhaustion

The Tourism Ministry plans to develop cable cars in Lake Toba, Borobudur, Labuan Bajo, and Puncak to reduce traffic congestion and provide eco-friendly transportation at the tourist destinations. The ministry is exploring a budget procurement through public-private partnerships with an enterprise, with proposals to be followed up after Eid

Government’s spokeswoman for COVID-19 mitigation efforts predicted that an increase in cases would be seen due to increased mobilities and activities during the Eid period, although the rise is expected to be minimal. Spokesman for the COVID-19 Task Force said that the vaccination rate in Indonesia is “good but it is not well distributed”, and urged provinces to accelerate vaccinations, especially those that are top homecoming destinations

The Transport Ministry to continue monitoring air ticket prices to ensure it stays within the upper and lower limits of economy class ticket prices, following reports of airlines allegedly hiking up prices above the limit. The ministry said that there have been no such instances and believes that the high ticket prices might be for transit flight tickets or business class

Eid spending is expected to drive GDP growth to 4.8%-5.5% in 2022. Indonesia will announce its Q1 GDP growth on 9 May, with the Finance Ministry predicting that it would reach over 5%. Bank Central Asia Chief Economist predicts that the Eid period would drive consumption growth to 5.2% and GDP growth to 4.8% in Q2. Bank Mandiri Chief Economist expects full-year growth to reach 5.17%, with Eid spending potentially contributing 0.14 percentage points

Russia has not yet decided whether President Putin will attend the G20 summit in person or virtually

The Central Java provincial government to provide free transportation services for those looking to return to the Greater Jakarta area after Eid, including 145 buses and 4 train cars

The government will see the Eid homecoming period as a benchmark towards the transition to an endemic state. Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture said that if the homecoming period doesn’t result in a spike in cases, then it would increase Indonesia’s confidence in transitioning into endemicity

PT Jasa Marga reported 1,157,959 vehicles leaving the Greater Jakarta area on 22-28 Apr, up 14.1% from usual traffic since Nov 2021. 372,048 vehicles headed towards Trans Java, up 62.2%, while 215,344 vehicles headed towards Bandung, down 1.9%, bringing the total of vehicles heading east from Greater Jakarta to 587,392 vehicles, up 30.8% from normal traffic. 341,891 vehicles headed west to Merak, up 2.73%, while 228,676 vehicles headed south to Puncak, down 2% from normal traffic

The Transport Ministry recorded 2,579,283 homecoming travellers across all modes of transportations on 25-28 Apr, with the numbers still expected to rise as Eid nears. The number reached 43.3% of pre-pandemic levels. It reached 806,257 travellers on 28 Apr. 142,391 passengers travelled by buses on 28 Apr (up 126.9%), 109,341 by train (up 126%), 207,700 by air (up 97.6%), 78,963 by sea (up 293.6%), and 267,862 by ferry (up 382.4%)

800,000 homecoming travellers have entered Yogyakarta between 21-27 Apr, according to the Yogyakarta Transport Department and the Regional Police Department. Private vehicles are the most popular mode of transport for homecoming travellers, with 66,018 units of vehicles entering Yogyakarta on 28 Apr, dominated by travellers from Jakarta, followed by West Java and Central Java, while 31,170 units departed Yogyakarta. Yogyakarta Airport and Adisutjipto Airport saw 7,333 arrivals and 3,582 departures. Lempuyangan Station and Yogyakarta Station saw 5,815 arrivals and 7,141 departures. Bus terminal saw 3,852 arrivals and 7,234 departures

Indonesia has invited Ukraine to the G20 Summit

The Tourism Ministry urged tourism polytechnics in Indonesia to prepare innovations that would support tourism recovery post-pandemic

Virgin Voyages’ new ship, the Resilient Lady, to make calls in Asian ports including Bali, Mumbai, Goa, and Singapore, on its way from Athens to Australia at end-2023

Around 300,000 Indonesians are expected to return to Malaysia after celebrating Eid, according to Indonesia’s Ambassador to Malaysia. He added that the crowd is not as big as pre-pandemic levels this year, as many have returned to Indonesia in 2021 and 2020 amid the pandemic. The Stulang Ferry Terminal and Pasir Gudang Ferry Terminal are each operating 3 daily trips to Batam and Tanjung Pinang, carrying 350 passengers each trip

State tourism and hospitality firm PT HIN to hold the “Jelajahin Livin Sanur Fest” beach festival in Bali on 27-29 May to support the growth and recovery of MSMEs and the the tourism sector. The festival will feature a variety of programmes and performances as well as an expo of MSME crafts

The Denpasar Government Tourism Office reported that hotel occupancy in Denpasar has reached 50%, while it reached 43%-47% in Sanur. Visitors are still dominated by domestic travellers at around 90%, while international travellers occupy the remaining 10%. Denpasar hotels have been 70%-80% booked ahead of the Eid holidays. The Badung Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association predicted an average of 40% booking rate for Badung hotels ahead of the Eid holidays, although the actual number varies according to the hotel. Gianyar Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association reported that hotel guests are dominated by international tourists as domestic tourists prefer to stay in Badung and Canggu areas

Aceh Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association revealed that hotel occupancy in tourist areas in the province has reached 80% through to 5 days after Eid, with other areas also seeing an increase to 50%-60% occupancy

The Transport Ministry noted an increase in travellers on all modes of transportation 6 days ahead of Eid, with 97,427 passengers travelling by bus (up 55.2% from usual), 76,597 by train (up 58.3%), 137,354 by plane (up 30.7%), 60,658 by ship (up 202.3%), and 70,762 travelling via ferry crossings (up 27.4%). The ministry reported a total of 211,130 passengers travelling by bus on 25-26 Apr, 151,572 by ferry, 227,011 by air, 117,284 by sea, and 149,921 by train, to a total of 856,918 travellers. The number is still 57.6% lower compared to pre-pandemic levels

31,200 passengers departed Jakarta by train on 27 Apr, 5 days ahead of Eid. Top destinations from those departing from Pasar Senen Station include Yogyakarta, Kutoarjo, Surakarta, Purwokerto, Semarang, Surabaya, Malang, Cirebon, and Bandung

401,279 vehicles used the toll road heading towards Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport on 22-27 Apr, up 13.94% compared to usual traffic since Nov 2021, and of which 352,196 plan to leave Jakarta via Soekarno-Hatta Airport

Indonesia to increase single-entry visa fees to $104 USD plus a 200,000 IDR service fee, from the previous $50 USD plus service fee. The visa will be valid for 60 days and can be extended for another 60 days at a cost of 2 million IDR. Applicants will now also be able to pay for the visas using electronic billing codes and no longer require manual transfer through a bank teller. The Welcome Yacht Community welcomed the simplified policy and expects it to increase the number of international yachters in Indonesia. Visa on Arrival fee remains at 500,000 IDR

Google data has shown that Indonesia’s outbound travel demand has returned to 70% of pre-pandemic levels in Mar, after returning to 36% and 44% in Jan and Feb, respectively. Inbound travel interest returned to 46% of pre-pandemic levels in Jan, increasing to 57% in Feb and further to 94% in Mar, with Australia, the US, and India as the top source markets

Indonesia has confirmed that the latest entry regulations for international travellers will apply at every international entry point. The regulations include: • Travellers must possess a valid passport with min. 6-month validity, an E-visa, or apply for a Visa on Arrival upon arrival. Visas on Arrival are available for travellers from 33 countries (South Africa, USA, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Dutch, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, India, UK, Italy, Japan, Germany, Canada, South Korea, Mexico, Norway, France, Poland, Qatar, New Zealand, Seychelles, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, China, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE) while visa exemption applies for ASEAN countries • Travellers must present a full vaccination certificate, with the last shot administered at least 14 days prior to departure • Travellers must submit a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours prior to departure • Travellers must book and pay in advance for a min. 4-day stay in CHSE certified hotels • Travellers must possess a COVID-19 health insurance with a min. coverage of $25,000 USD • Travellers must install the PeduliLindungi and Karantina Presisi app

The Tourism Ministry predicts hotel occupancy rate to increase by 8% during the Eid homecoming period. Hotel occupancy has increased steadily since Jan, where it reached 42.43%, up 12.08 percentage points from early 2021. Domestic air tickets reservations also reached 27% as of 17 Apr, and is expected to keep increasing ahead of Eid

The Gianyar Regional House of Representatives has asked the public to prepare for the 34-trillion IDR development of the Ubud, Tegallalang, Payangan (Ulapan) National Strategic Tourism Area by stepping up the quality of tourism human resources. Around 60% of locals in Payangan is currently involved in the tourism sector, either through employment or studies

PPKM outside Java-Bali extended until 9 May. 131 out of 386 districts/cities are at Level 1, and none is at Level 4

The Tourism Ministry has prepared 15 posts for homecoming travellers between Lampung and East Java. The ministry hopes the posts can function as a rest stop, and will also distribute 1,200 vouchers for homecoming travellers. The ministry is preparing a travel plan for travellers who are using alternative route Jalur Lintas Selatan (JLS), which will include tourism destinations and culinary centres

Kalideres Bus Terminal in West Jakarta saw a nearly 8-fold increase in passenger numbers ahead of the Eid holiday, rising to 1,024 passengers on 25 Apr from the usual 100-150 daily passengers. The terminal expects to see around 3,500 passengers during the peak travel period, 50% of pre-pandemic levels of 7,000

Google revealed that Indonesia has reached a 100% YoY growth in domestic travel in Mar, one of the leading countries in the Southeast Asia region. Data has shown that 40% of inbound travellers from Europe went into Indonesia and Thailand. Bali was also ranked as the fastest-growing market in Mar

The Bali Provincial Government has proposed to the central government to expand the visa on arrival programme to 16 more countries, mostly from Europe. The Bali Tourism Office revealed that 46,176 international visitors arrived in Bali as of 22 Apr, dominated by travellers from Australia

The US and its allies have pushed Indonesia to invite Ukraine as a guest at the G20 summit in Nov, following Indonesia’s refusal to withdraw the invitation for Russia to the summit. Indonesia has said that it wants to “remain impartial"

President Jokowi stated that Indonesia will not rush into an endemic stage and will remain in a transition period from pandemic to endemic for at least 6 months. If conditions are stable by then, the government might consider easing rules such as lifting the mask mandate for outdoor areas

Bangli Regency to reduce the entry fee to the Kintamani area for Indonesian citizens from 1 May. Bangli Tourism and Cultural Office said that entry fees haven’t affected the number of visitors, and that Kintamani has been receiving over 600 visitors daily

The Tourism Minister urged regional governments and tourist destinations to make preparations ahead of Eid to ensure smooth operation during the holiday period. Travellers will be expected to use digital apps to book entry tickets in a number of tourist destinations to avoid long queues and promote a cashless lifestyle

The Transport Ministry urged homecoming travellers to still wear masks and comply with health protocols even if they are using private vehicles

The Health Ministry said that the pandemic situation remains “under control” despite PPKM relaxation in most provinces. Indonesia recorded 317 new cases on 25 Apr, a massive decline from the 61,000 daily cases during the Omicron peak. Positivity rate in Indonesia has also remained below 1% in the last 3-3.5 months

The Tourism Minister hopes that there won’t be any walkouts during the G20 tourism side events. He stated: “We convince the G20 countries to strengthen cooperation in the tourism and creative economy sectors. G20 members have something in common, in which we all want to promote tourism and the creative economy for the welfare of society”

The Transport Minister reported that flight movement at Soekarno-Hatta Airport has increased from 400 to 900 flights per day in the past 2 days, with occupancy nearing 100% which indicates that the public has heeded the government’s advice to depart earlier for their homecoming trips. He said that passenger numbers at the airport have reached 900 per day, compared to 1,200 pre-pandemic. He expects the number to increase to 1,200-1,300 per day ahead of the Eid holiday. He added that some airlines have added extra flights ahead of the holiday and that airports have increased their operating hours from 12 to 18-24 hours

The Tourism Ministry has signed an MoU with Huawei to support the recovery of the tourism and creative economy industries through the provision of digital economy services. The collaboration aims to enhance digital talent development in the tourism and creative economy sectors, as well as increase the capabilities of digital tourism and creative economy startups through the Huawei Spark programme. The partnership also aims to address issues in digital developments, including research development and financing facilities, among others

Only 24.7 billion IDR of the state’s Ready-to-Use funds have been distributed to Bali’s hotels to fund hotel quarantines during Sep 2020-Feb 2021, out of the total funds of 27.6 billion IDR, leaving 2.9 billion IDR still unpaid by the central government via the National Disaster Management Agency

Train operator Kereta Api Indonesia stated that Eid homecoming peak by train will occur on 28 Apr, on which train tickets are already 96% sold. 1,371,081 tickets have been sold for 22 Apr-13 May, or 53% of the total tickets available. The company will also add 6 daily return trips per day from the initial 35, bringing the total to 92 additional trips throughout the homecoming period

The government has issued rules for Eid gatherings according to PPKM level. Capacity limit for gatherings will be 50% of the venue capacity for Level 3 areas, 75% for Level 2 areas, and 100% for Level 1 areas. Food and drinks must be served in take-away packagings and cannot be consumed on-site for gatherings of over 100 people

The Tourism Minister lauded the sales mission to promote the Super Priority Tourism Destinations, which included tourism villages as one of its leading products. The event connects and promotes 10 tourism villages to 50 travel agencies, through “blended activities” including fam trips followed by technical guidance and sales activities

Indonesian lawmakers has approved the government’s plan to top up Garuda Indonesia’s capital by 7.5 trillion IDR in 2022, once a debt settlement has been reached with creditors

The Summit of the 75th National Co-op Day in Bali on 14-17 Jul is expected to draw 6,000 participants

Indonesia has been ranked 6th in Southeast Asia in Economist Intelligence Unit’s Travel-ready index 2022, which measures the favorability of conditions for tourism recovery

1,686 foreign visitors have arrived in Bintan from 25 Feb-19 Apr, comprising 41 arrivals in Feb, 365 in Mar, and 1,280 in Apr, dominated by travellers from Singapore

A number of foreign delegates led by the US, including those from the UK, Canada, Ukraine, and France walked out of the G20 finance meeting when Russian officials spoke as a protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Several delegates attending virtually also turned their cameras off as part of the protest

The Buleleng Tourism Department has recommended 3 tourism villages - Sudaji, Sambangan, and Munduk - as destinations for G20 summit delegates to visit

The Tourism Minister expects G20 tourism and creative economy side events to create 10,000-15,000 jobs

The Tourism Minister invited all G20 delegates, including Russia, to a banquet following the launch of the G20 tourism and creative economy side events. He said that the conversation mainly stayed on tourism, creative economy, and post-pandemic recovery without straying to issues on geopolitical tensions between Russia and other countries. He stated: “Of course we want to advocate peace, to advocate diplomacy . . . and tourism is something that is universally accepted”

The Tourism Department of Maros Regency in South Sulawesi urged innovation in the tourism sector through new tourism attraction developments, including beach tourism, garden tourism, river tourism, and waterfall tourism

23,820 foreign visitors have applied for visas on arrival since the policy resumed on 7 Mar. Applicants are dominated by Australian travellers (5,888), followed by the UK (2,649), and Germany (2,358)

The COVID-19 Handling Task Force announced that from 19 Apr, fully vaccinated travellers from Singapore entering Indonesia through Hang Nadim and Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airports in the Riau Islands can choose to submit a negative antigen test taken within 24 hours prior to departure instead of a negative RT-PCR taken 48 hours prior to departure

The government has approved an integrated Tourism Master Plan to develop sustainable tourism in Bangka Belitung Province

Three new 5-star hotels in Bali, Jumeirah Hotel in Jimbaran, Kimpton Resort Nusa Dua, and Lavaya Resort and Residence in Tanjung Benoa, and a 4-star hotel, Aloft Hotel Kuta Beach, are set to start operations by year-end, according to the Colliers Quarterly Report Q1 2022

Bali Hotels Association reported that the resumption of the visa exemption policy for ASEAN citizens has caused demand to rise, with BHA members receiving many RFPs and group travel quotations from the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore for May-Jul. BHA’s WelcomeBacktoBali.com website, which detailed information for travel to Bali during the pandemic, received over 200,000 interactions in Mar, with Australians the most frequent users. BHA is in discussions with Australia to possibly integrate information from Australia’s Smartraveller travel advice service

Demand for incentive groups surged as Bali reopens. Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort revealed that they have received around 20 international enquiries for incentive groups for 2022, with more expected for 2023. The Apurva Kempinski Resort Bali saw an increase of around 40% in enquiries for 2022, as well as some leads for 2023 and 2024. Merusaka Beachfront Resort & Spa will welcome incentive groups with 50-200 participants from India in May, Jun, and Sep. Good Day Tour Bali will serve a number of incentive groups whose trips were scheduled for 2020 and postponed due to the pandemic. Aneka Kartika Tours expects incentives demand to reach 50% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023 and fully recover in 2024. Pacto aims to attract Indian travellers, stating that European market might not return soon due to the Russia-Ukraine war

President Jokowi urged the public to make their homecoming trips earlier and avoid travelling on the predicted peak days (28-30 Apr) in anticipation of nationwide congestion

Bank Rakyat Indonesia has collaborated with Traveloka to launch a Travel feature on its BRImo digital banking app, in which customers can book and pay for transportation and accommodation from Traveloka partners

The Tourism Ministry to launch G20 tourism and creative economy side events, divided into 2 categories: substantive side events, which relate to issues brought up in the Tourism Working Group, and non-substantive side events, which will be held to promote Indonesian tourism. The substantive side events will include the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) Conference 2022 on 21-24 Jun in Bali, International Wellness Tourism Conference & Festival (IWTCF) on 5-7 Aug in Solo, and the World Conference on Creative Economy on 5-7 Oct in Bali. Non-substantive side events will include tourism excursion and pre/post tour packages for G20 delegates

The Tourism Minister predicts 60%-70%, or 51-59.5 million, of Eid homecomers will visit tourist sites. He also predicts that money circulation during the Eid homecoming period will reach 72 trillion IDR

The Tourism Ministry has launched the Pitching Independent Tourism Entrepreneurship 2022 event at the Five Super Priority Destination, providing MSMEs the opportunity to introduce their products and business development plans to potential investors

The Tourism Ministry held the Ramadan Fest 2022 MSME bazaar in Jakarta on 19-21 Apr

Bank Indonesia cut its 2022 economic outlook to 4.5%-5.3% from the previous forecast of 4.7%-5.5% amid global trade and growth disruption due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Inflation in Indonesia is still within the bank’s range of 2%-4%, although consumer prices rose to 2.64% in Mar, the highest in 2 years

West Java Provincial Transportation Service expects that 14.9 million, or 17.2% of the 85.5 million Eid homecoming travellers, will travel to West Java aside from the regions included in the Greater Jakarta agglomeration area (Bogor, Depok, and Bekasi). The Greater Jakarta area is expected to welcome 5.9 million (7%) homecoming travellers, while Central Java is expected to welcome 23.5 million and East Java 16.8 million. 9.2 million West Java residents are expected to travel outside the region, while 14 million are expected to depart from the Greater Jakarta area. Private cars (28.6%) and motorcycles (21.5%) are expected to be the top transportation modes, followed by city buses (17.38%), trains (9.7%) and planes (8.13%)

The government has waived COVID-19 testing requirements for fully vaccinated Eid homecoming travellers under 18, as boosters are not yet available for that age group

Bali government has allocated $1.9 million USD for Sanur Beach restoration ahead of the G20 conference in Oct, including the restoration of the coastline and construction of pedestrian and cyclist lanes

West Java Governor urged Eid travellers to spend no more than 30 minutes at toll road rest areas to prevent overcrowding

Java-Bali PPKM extended to 9 May. Jakarta and Bali stay at Level 2

Klungkung Regency in Bali stressed that tourists only need to pay once to enjoy all attractions in the Nusa Penida island. He condemns parties that illegally collect additional fees from tourists in the form of parking fees or ticketing fees for certain attractions

The government has urged the public to refrain from travelling abroad during the Eid holiday to prevent imported cases

The Health Ministry and the University of Indonesia’s survey has shown that 99.2% of people in the Java-Bali region have developed antibodies against COVID-19, up 6 percentage points from Dec’s 86%

The Transport Ministry Spokesperson urged the public to refrain from using motorcycles for homecoming trips to minimise traffic accidents. She noted that the ministry has provided free transport for the homecoming period this year

The Jakarta Tourism Department to launch a religious walking tour on 16 and 23 Apr as part of its series of Ramadan programmes

Gianyar Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association reported that Bali receives around 1,000 foreign visitors daily in the past 2 weeks, even reaching 2,000 in the past 3 days. Most tourists still stay in the Badung region, such as Nusa Dua and Canggu, while Ubud area in the Gianyar region welcomes around 10%-15% of the total visitors. Average hotel occupancy in Ubud has reached 30%-40%, especially with many Australians visiting during the Easter holiday. Occupancy is expected to gradually increase through to the peak season of Jul-Aug, based on pre-pandemic trends. The association reported that some accommodation properties in Gianyar have not yet resumed operations, possibly waiting for arrivals to increase from May. Crossings from Sanur Port to Nusa Penida or Lembongan have also increased 20% during the Easter period, reaching around 1,000 passengers per day from the usual 800

Bali Vice Governor predicted that Bali tourism needs at least 1-2 more years to fully recover from the pandemic. He also doubted the accuracy of the data that reported 25% occupancy for Bali’s 130,000-140,000 hotel rooms, as it doesn't compare to the number of tourists, which only reaches around 2,000 foreign tourists and 7,000 domestic tourists

The Head of Bali Law and Human Rights Minister has stated that the reported plan to increase visa on arrival fees by three times is a “false information”, and it remains at $35 USD

The Yogyakarta Airport to resume international flights, starting with flights to Malaysia from 29 Apr

Pura Ulundanu in Bedugul, Bali has seen a 30% increase in foreign visitors since international flight resumption, reaching around 100 foreign visitors daily in Mar-Apr. The site also welcomes around 300 domestic visitors daily, which is expected to increase during the Eid holiday

Bali Deputy Governor has asked the Bali Villa Association to complete the database of legal villas in Bali along with the number of rooms available and other supporting data, in order to start planning development strategies for the future

The Tourism Minister to visit Langsa City in Aceh to inaugurate a new attraction, the Tower Mangrove Forest Park, and visit the Cinta Raja Tourism Village

The government reportedly plans to increase the visa on arrival fee to $104.52 USD, up 3-fold from the current $34.84 USD. Bali chapter of the Indonesia’s Tourism Industry Collective and 10 stakeholders have expressed their objections to the plan and have asked state-owned tourism holding InJourney’s Director to address the issue in a formal forum

Russia’s Finance Minister has confirmed his plans to attend the G20 finance meeting on 20 Apr virtually. The Indonesian Finance Ministry revealed that Indonesia was considering whether to invite Ukraine to the meeting "to discuss the impact of the conflict in Ukraine on global economic conditions"

Deputy Head of the Commission X (Education, Youth, Sport, Tourism, Arts and Culture Affairs) of the House of Representatives believes that the Tourism Law should be revised alongside the shifting tourism trends post-pandemic, including the rising trend of sports and health tourism, and the sector’s need to adapt to digitalisation. She added that issues in the law regarding regulations between central and local governments, establishment of tourism institutions, as well as human resources are still not optimal and could be improved. The Commision X of the House of Representatives proposed the Tourism Bill on 8 Nov 2021, and it has entered the initial discussion phase

7,449 international visitors have entered Indonesia with a visa on arrival through 7 immigration checkpoints since the expansion of the policy on 6 Apr to 10 Apr, in which 6,699 entered through Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport and 612 through Jakarta’s Soekarno- Hatta Airport. The highest number of VoAs granted was recorded on 10 Apr at 2,030. Australia is ranked first for most VoAs granted at 2,032, followed by the UK (898), Germany (701), the US (700), and France (589)

The Finance Minister forecasted the Indonesian economy to grow 4.5%-5.2% in Q1 2022 amid global economic uncertainty due to the Russia-Ukraine war. She projected the economy to grow 4.8%-5.5% for the whole of 2022

Bali Office of Bank Indonesia reported that the Consumer Confidence Index for Mar stood at 112.75, higher than 97.2 in Feb. Consumer Confidence Index for Q1 stood at 105.3, up from 98.4 in Q4 2021 and 74.9 in Q1 2021. The national Consumer Confidence Index for Mar stood at 109.6, driven by the easing of community restrictions and air travel requirements

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has proposed to the House of Representatives to increase the quota for subsidised fuel as a precaution against rising crude oil prices. The government stated that it will strive to maintain fuel supply and distribution reliability during the Ramadan and Eid period

The Vice President urged the West Sumatra Province to increase promotion through various channels to attract both domestic and international tourists. He also urged collaboration among stakeholders to boost tourism potentials, such as by integrating various existing natural, culinary, and cultural tourism products into one tour package

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in its Asia Travel-Ready Index has noted that Malaysia and Singapore have some of the best conditions for tourism recovery in Asia, whilst the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam received lower scores due to quarantine policies for returning citizens or vaccination rates

Agoda data has shown that Kuta is the top searched destination in Bali for international travellers, followed by Ubud, Seminyak, and Nusa Dua. Indonesia ranked 3rd in Asia as a whole, behind Thailand and the Philippines

The Health Ministry warned that there has been an increase in cases in 5 provinces: Jakarta, Bali, East Java, Bangka Belitung, and North Kalimantan, although the transmission rate is still below 0.1% of that during the Omicron wave in Feb. The ministry urged the public to stay vigilant ahead of the Eid period, even if the total number of cases nationwide continues to decrease. The Java-Bali region reported 169 new cases on 10 Apr, which is expected to rise in the coming days. Indonesia reported 2,930 cases on 11 Apr, up from the past few days

The Tourism Minister predicted that out of the forecasted 85.5 million domestic travellers going on Eid homecoming trips, 48-56 million will partake in tourism activities

The Tourism Minister reported that foreign nationals occupy 63% of all arrivals in Indonesia, in which Australians account for 21%. The ministry aims to welcome 1.4 million Australians to Indonesia, especially Bali in 2022

The Tourism Minister stated that he will start discussions with the Transport Ministry to expand and improve flight access to Bali amid high demand from international tourists

PPKM outside Java-Bali has been extended until 25 Apr

Co-founder of Tiket.com believes that the tourism sector will further recover in Q2 due to the Ramadan period and Eid holiday, followed by the school holidays. He is also optimistic that many international tourists will go on “revenge travel” after 2 years of the pandemic. In Q1 2022, Tiket.com reported a 93% increase YoY in air ticket sales, 275% increase in land transport tickets, and an 80% increase in accommodation bookings

State-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga predicted 29 Apr to be the peak of Eid homecoming traffic, with 8 May being the peak of return traffic. The number of vehicles used for the trips is estimated to exceed the 2.5 million recorded in 2019, also surpassing 2020’s 900,000 and 2021’s 1.4 million

Jetstar has resumed its Perth-Bali route, with its first flight bringing 153 foreign passengers into Bali, and 87 passengers to Perth on its return trip

Chairman of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Travel Agents Association (ASTINDO) revealed that arrivals in Bali still mostly consist of business travellers or those visiting family in Bali. He expects leisure visitors to increase towards the summer and mid-year holiday season

Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS) Hybrid 2022, which was held on 31 Mar-10 Apr in Jakarta, attracted 378,227 in-person visitors and recorded 2.8 billion IDR in transactions. IIMS will open in Surabaya (1-5 Jun) and Makassar (21-25 Sep), while IIMS Motobike will be held on 28-30 Oct and IIMS Outdoor Banaran JogLoSemar on 28 Dec-1 Jan 2023

Bali to host the Miss Global pageant in Nusa Dua on 31 May-11 Jun, with expected participation from 85 countries

Tiket.com to hold its annual Eid promotional period from 11 Apr-2 May, offering discounts on domestic and international air tickets, train tickets, accommodations, as well as attractions and activities

The government has allocated 55 billion IDR in the 2022 State Budget for port development at Nusa Penida, Bali. Masterplan for the development has been drafted since Jan, with pontoon dock construction and trestle extension to start in 2022, and the passenger terminal construction in 2023

Bank Indonesia estimated that retail sales performance in Mar grew 2% MoM and 8.6% YoY, as reflected in the Real Sales Index (IPR) of 204.0

Badung Chapter of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association reported that hotels in the regency, including popular tourist destinations like Kuta, Seminyak, and Canggu, are offering special promotional rates for the upcoming Eid holiday. The association predicts hotel occupancy to reach 40%, up from 2020 and 2021 where occupancy remained below 20% even during the Eid holidays

Badung Chapter of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association reported that hotel occupancy has increased to 25% since the lifting of the quarantine policy and the resumption of the visa on arrival programme. Bali welcomes around 2,000 international visitors daily, with the numbers expected to keep rising in Apr. 10 international airlines have now resumed routes with Bali, with 9 more expected to do so soon

Bali to host the first Indonesia International Marathon on 26 Jun. The event is expected to be held annually with a sports tourism concept, with each year’s edition to be held at different tourist destinations in Indonesia

PT Kereta Api Indonesia reported that 799,573 intercity train tickets have been sold for the Eid period of 22 Apr-13 May, amounting to 33% of the total tickets available. Popular routes include Jakarta-Surabaya, Jakarta-Yogyakarta, and Jakarta-Malang

Hotel occupancy in the Nusa Dua area stood at 21.23% in Q1, up 182% from 2021’s 7.53%. It stood at 20.15% in Jan, 12.78% in Feb, and 30.77% in Mar, up from 2021’s 7.71%, 5.08%, 9.80% respectively. Visitor arrivals stood at 60,388 in Q1, up 124% YoY from 26,913. As of Mar, 18 out of 21 hotels and villas in the area have resumed operations

Accor and Traveloka have partnered to grant Traveloka users access to Accor properties in 13 countries. Traveloka has over 40 million monthly active users in Southeast Asia as of Jan, while Accor’s network in Southeast Asia is set to exceed 500 properties by 2024

The Transport Ministry plans to provide vaccination services at transportation hubs for those who have not met the booster requirements for Eid homecoming trips

North Sulawesi Office of Statistics Indonesia reported that international arrivals at Sam Ratulangi Airport stood at 647 in Feb, up 38.84% from 466 in Jan, due to the easing of restrictions for international visitors to enter/leave Indonesia through North Sulawesi. International arrival is dominated by China at 401, accounting for 61.98% of the total, followed by 79 from Russia (12.21%), 32 from the US (4.95%), and 28 from France (4.33%). The North Sulawesi Provincial Government is optimistic that international arrivals will increase, especially with the reactivation of the visa-free policy at the airport. Total arrivals in North Sulawesi reached 1,113 in Feb, down from 1,460 in Feb 2021

14,430 international visitors have entered Bali with a visa on arrival as of 5 Apr since the policy resumed

The Tourism Ministry has appointed Solo to host the Internasional Wellness Tourism Conference and Festival 2022 on 5-7 Aug

Technology research and advisory company Technavio forecasted Indonesia’s tourism and hotel market share to increase by $22 billion USD from 2021-2026, with market’s growth momentum to accelerate at a compound annual growth rate of 12%. Tophotel Projects revealed 21 openings to a total of additional 3,173 rooms scheduled for 2022, along with 13 openings in 2023, and 61 in 2024 and beyond. HVS reported that Indonesia will see 245 hotels opening in 2021-2025 with approx. 42,358 rooms

Google data has shown that domestic tourism in Indonesia grew 40% YoY between Aug-Sep 2021. Agoda reported a surge in searches for Bali from neighbouring countries following Indonesia’s border reopening announcement, with Australia, Singapore, the US, the UK, and South Korea as the top 5 origin markets. Australia and Singapore had the highest surge in searches with 220% and 200% respectively. Bali topped the list as the most searched destination in Indonesia, while the country ranked third as a destination in Asia, after Thailand and the Philippines

Indonesia announced that it is “currently looking into” the requests from the US and its Western allies to remove Russia from G20. The Special Adviser to the Communication and Information Minister added: “it requires a very careful consideration from us as the presidency of G20 on how to respond. We will convey (our position) to the public when the time comes”. The US Treasury Secretary has disclosed that the US will not participate in a number of G20 meetings if Russia is a participant

Government spokesperson for Indonesia’s G20 Presidency stated that all G20 members would use a QR Code system to digitise documents of health protocols implementation, based on the consensus at the Health Working Group meeting at end-Mar. The system is expected to synchronise global health protocols and facilitate international travel

Head of the Munggu Tourism Village Management said that Russians are dominating the number of foreign visitors staying in the village. He added that many tourists are still choosing the “Green SUN” area (Sanur, Ubud, Nusa Dua) and that those staying in Munggu are mostly business visitors with long-term stays

Bali’s Central Statistics Agency reported that Bali welcomed 1,310 foreign tourists in Feb, up from just 3 in Jan. Russia topped the list with 239 visitors, followed by the US (124), Australia (116), the UK (94), Germany (94), France (87), the Netherlands (73), Ukraine (35), Italy (33), Singapore (28)

Bali’s Central Statistics Agency reported that the occupancy rate for starred hotels stood at 14.86% in Feb, down 5.85 percentage points MoM but up 5.87 percentage points YoY. Non-starred hotel occupancy rate stood at 6.32%, up 1.51 percentage points MoM. Average stay period for starred hotels was 1.77 days in Feb, down 0.14 percentage points MoM and down 0.90 percentage points YoY. Average stay period for non-starred hotels was 1.73 days in Feb, up 0.13 percentage points MoM

Bali Safari visitor count dropped by 50% since Ramadan started in early Apr, from around 400-500 daily visitors to 200-250, with visitors still dominated by domestic tourists from outside Bali. The safari is optimistic that visitors will recover at end-Apr/early May. Bali Safari welcomed around 1000-15000 visitors daily pre-pandemic

Panorama Tours brought 50 tourists from Poland to Bali. The firm said that it maintains continuous communication with foreign tour operators to promote Bali, and added that they have received enthusiastic response and bookings from the South African market

Finns Bali Beach Club has launched the Back to Bali campaign, available until 30 Jun, supported by Bali Tourism, Wonderful Indonesia, Bali Hotels Association, Garuda Indonesia, and hundreds of Bali hotels and villas. The deal offers international travellers 15 million IDR worth of F&B, accommodation, and Finns VIP membership credits for only 5 million IDR, along with Bali Pass and Grab bonus credits of 500,000 IDR. The credits can be used at over 150 resorts, 500 villas, while the Bali Pass offers access to deals, discounts, and freebies across Bali

Indonesia has waived the on-arrival COVID-19 test for international arrivals, provided they have no COVID-19 symptoms and have a body temperature of 37.5 degrees celsius and lower. Fully vaccinated travellers will be able to travel freely immediately, while non-fully vaccinated travellers will be subject to a 5-day quarantine with an exit RT-PCR test on day 4

Indonesia has added more entry points for visa-free and VoA travellers, to a total of 19 checkpoints: • Air: Jakarta's Soekarno Hatta, Surabaya's Juanda, Bali's Ngurah Rai, Riau's Hang Nadim, Riau's Raja Haji Fisabilillah, North Sulawesi's Sam Ratulangi, West Nusa Tenggara's Zainuddin Abdul Madjid, North Sumatera's Kualanamu, South Sulawesi's Sultan Hasanuddin, Yogyakarta Airports • Land: West Kalimantan's Aruk and Entikong, East Nusa Tenggara's Motaain • Sea: Bali's Tanjung Benoa, North Kalimantan's Nunukan, Riau's Tanjung Pinang, Batam, Bintan, Tanjung Balai Karimun, and Dumai Ports

The government has declared 29 Apr and 4-6 May as collective leave days for the Eid al-Fitr period, with the holiday itself falling on 2-3 May

The government has allocated $612.83 million USD for the wage-subsidy assistance (BSU) scheme to support low-income workers

The Tourism Ministry and Accor Group has signed an MoU on tourism and creative economy cooperation. Accor Group will help promote the Wonderful Indonesia brand by supporting local MSMEs, including serving local cuisine and designing Indonesian-themed staff uniforms. The Tourism Minister hopes that the cooperation can also support human resource development through collaboration with Tourism Polytechnics in Indonesia

Bali Governor has suggested 10 priority and strategic infrastructure development plans to be considered to receive support from the State Funds, including the construction of ports, geopark development, and infrastructure to support the Bali Cultural Centre Zone

The Tourism Ministry plans to strengthen the supply chain in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara to increase the competitiveness, quality, and sustainability of creative economy products in the region, with hopes that eventually, 90% of creative products in Labuan Bajo would be produced locally. The ministry, through the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority Agency, plans to develop a larger scale of its current integrated training, campaigns, and business meeting programmes for locals and MSMEs. The agency is also encouraging MSMEs through various programmes to improve their products to meet hotel and restaurant standards

The Asian Development Bank has upgraded Indonesia’s economic growth forecast to 5.0% in 2022 and 5.2% in 2023, up from its earlier prediction of 4.8% for 2022

Indonesia has reactivated the visa exemption policy for ASEAN countries and expanded the Visa on Arrival scheme to 43 countries (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor Leste, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, UK, US, Vietnam)

The World Bank has lowered Indonesia’s 2022 GDP growth forecast from 5.2% to 5.1%, and to 4.6% in worst-case scenario, due to economic distress attributed to the Russia-Ukraine war

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, in a meeting with the Tourism Minister, noted that Australians are eager to visit Indonesia, especially Bali. She also noted that the border reopening will also benefit the many Indonesians studying or working in Australia. The Tourism Minister also expressed that Australia is the biggest potential market to Indonesia

The Health Minister said that Indonesia will be “ready to conduct the transition” to an endemic phase if public health awareness rises. The COVID-19 Task Force said that Indonesia will consider transitioning to an endemic phase if there is no significant increase in cases after Eid al-Fitr

Java-Bali PPKM has been extended until 18 Apr. Jakarta and Bali stay at Level 2

Operational hours for shopping malls, restaurants, and cafes have been extended to 10pm in areas under PPKM Level 2

PT Puri Sentul Permai has inaugurated the Kedaton 8 Express Hotel in Rest Area KM 19 of the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road. The Tourism Minister hopes that hotels at rest areas or motels can gain more popularity post-pandemic, adding that he had received enquiries regarding investment opportunities for rest area hotels, especially on the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road

The COVID-19 Task Force has issued and updated domestic travel requirements for those travelling via air, sea, and land transportation modes using private or public vehicles, crossings, and intercity trains, effective from 2 Apr: • Those who have received third dose or booster vaccination are not required to undergo a pre-departure test • Those who have received the second dose of vaccination are required to undergo an antigen test within 24 hours or a PCR test within 72 hours prior to departure • Those who have received only the first dose of vaccination are required to undergo a PCR test within 72 hours prior to departure • Those medically-ineligible to receive vaccines are required to undergo a PCR test within 72 hours prior to departure and show a medical statement as proof of ineligibility

Bangkalan Regency in East Java to develop a halal tourism zone and the Indonesia Islamic Science Park at the foot of the Suramadu Bridge, with a concept of “20% education, 30% Islamic finance, and 50% tourism”. The tourism development plan has been submitted to the Tourism Ministry and was well received

Bali’s Tabanan Regency Tourism Department urged discipline in applying health protocols at tourism sites amid reopening, including the use of the PeduliLindungi app. Tourism activities in the regency are still dominated by domestic tourists. Tourism site Tanah Lot reportedly welcomes hundreds of visitors daily, reaching thousands on weekends or holidays

Indonesia plans to start implementing carbon tax from 1 Jul

Indonesia has been appointed the first president of the UNESCO Global Geopark (UGG) Youth Forum, which comprises representatives from 44 countries. Indonesia has 19 national geoparks, 6 of which have been recognized as UNESCO Global Geopark, with a 7th, Meratus Geopark, now being nominated for a UGG status

The Tourism Ministry plans to optimise the potential of natural and historical tourism, as well as the creative economy in Sumenep District of East Java

Consumer Prices Index rose 2.64% YoY in Mar, the highest in 2 years and higher than the 2.56% forecast in a Reuters poll. Indonesia’s central bank aims to keep inflation within a range of 2%-4%. Core inflation rate also rose to 2.37%, higher than the 2.33% forecast

Jakarta proposes to allow full capacity for in-person learning at schools from Apr

Bali tourism players welcome the easing of border restrictions and the resumption of flights from Australia, the island’s top source market. Westin Resort Nusa Dua and Bali International Convention Centre said that the leisure market from Australia is currently bigger than that of business events, although enquiries for events have started to come in. COMO Bali has seen a significant change in bookings by international travellers for the first time since the pandemic started. The group added that the reopening has triggered many last minute bookings, as opposed to before the reopening when international bookings tended to be for stays in Q3 onwards. It added that the Australian market might reach pre-pandemic levels only in Q1 or Q2 2023. Bali Hotel Association, however, predicts that it will happen by Q4 2022 or Q1 2023, should flight frequency return to pre-pandemic levels and restrictions are eased further. Alpha Hotel Management said that the focus for now will be to rebuild travellers’ confidence among Australian and New Zealand travellers, suggesting fam trips and sales missions to do so

Indonesia has officially increased VAT from 10% to 11%

Indonesia welcomed 18,460 international visitors in Feb, up 151.98% YoY and 21.91% MoM. Foreign arrivals in Jan-Feb totaled 33,593 with tourists from China occupying 16.13%, followed by Russia with 6.77% and South Korea with 6.35%

The Bali Hotel Association hopes that the government will provide incentives for Bali hotels, such as soft loans to improve facilities ahead of reopening, as many were closed or not fully operational during the last two years

Around 5,000 climbers in 2020-2021 are blacklisted from climbing Mount Rinjani in West Nusa Tenggara for not bringing back the trash that they generated during the climb. They will be prohibited from buying tickets for 2 years

The Bali Governor believes that Bali has begun entering the endemic phase, with cases only hitting 40 daily on 31 Mar and booster rate reaching 50.3%. He added that there has not been an increase in COVID-19 transmissions despite the international reopening

Angkasa Pura II reported that Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport served over 100,000 passengers over the past week ahead of Ramadan, reaching 70% of pre-pandemic figures. The airport served 124,000 passengers on 27 Mar, a record during the pandemic. The airport received 60,000-70,000 passengers on normal days pre-pandemic

State energy firm Pertamina has raised the price of its octane 92 gasoline, Pertamax, from IDR 9,000 to IDR 12,500/litre from 1 Apr amid rising fuel prices

Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport has raised PCR testing capacity amid an increase in arrivals number following the easing of quarantine restrictions. The airport is now welcoming around 5,000 international travellers per day

Bali to allow 100% capacity for in-person learning at primary and high schools from 1 Apr

Bali Regional Head of the Indonesian Tour Guides Association said that while foreign tourists are gradually increasing since the 7 Mar reopening, local tour guides have not been able to optimally find employment. He reported that out of 6,500 member tour guides, only around 1% are handling foreign tourists, while 10%-15% are guiding domestic tourists. He is optimistic that demand for tour guides will increase in the next 3 months

The Transport Ministry’s Survey for the 9-21 Mar period has shown that around 79.4 million people are expected to take intercity trips during the Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr period, up from the 55 million on the 14-28 Feb survey, before the announcement of the lifting of testing requirements for domestic trips. Mobility in the Greater Jakarta Area is expected at around 13 million people, equivalent to 38.85% of the total population in the area, and almost reaching pre-pandemic level of 14 million. Community mobility in the area only reached 3.5 million in 2020 and 3.1 million in 2021. Peak travel period is predicted to be on 30 Apr, with peak return traffic predicted to be happening on 7-8 May. Around 21.3 million are expected to make the homecoming trips by private cars, followed by 14.9 million on motorbikes, 12.9 million by buses, 9.6 million by planes, 7.2 million by trains, 1.1 million by ships, and 900,000 by ferries. Around 21.3 million people are expected to depart for Central Java, 15 million to West Java, 5.5 million to Greater Jakarta, 3.9 million to Yogyakarta, 3.8 million to South Sulawesi, and 2.4 million to Lampung

RedDoorz has launched Urbanview, a new label aimed at urban and business travellers with properties located close to key business districts, transport nodes, urban areas, and key tourist attractions. The firm currently has 50 Urbanview properties in Indonesia, with rooms priced at an average rate of $15-$20 USD per night

Indonesia reported 31,000 cases in the past week (23-29 Mar), down 48.6% WoW. The decrease in new cases detected is also attributed to the lower testing rate since the government lifted the testing restrictions for domestic travel. Google Mobility Index data showed that mobility at retail and recreation locations increased to 18% on 26 Mar from 6% on 18 Mar

Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association Bali Chapter has proposed the government to resume visa exemption for travellers from ASEAN countries, as well as extend the visa on arrival scheme to other EU countries. If those moves are implemented, Bali’s tourism recovery is expected to increase 40% by year-end and make a full recovery in 2023

The Tourism Minister said that the government is looking to expand the visa on arrival policy for foreign travellers entering through Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta, Surabaya’s Juanda, Makassar’s Sultan Hasanuddin, and Manado’s Sam Ratulangi Airports. He said that the expansion will be “conducted gradually and in a sustainable fashion”

G20 member states have supported Indonesia’s proposal to launch a universal verification portal of different countries’ vaccine certificates to facilitate international travel. All G20 members, except China who is still in the technical process, have successfully piloted the portal. Indonesia hopes to utilise the portal during the G20 summit in Oct

State energy firm Pertamina is considering buying crude oil from Russia for its newly revamped refinery. CEO of the firm stated that they saw "an opportunity to buy from Russia at a good price” amid current tensions and added: “Politically, there's no problem as long as the company we are dealing with was not sanctioned. We have also discussed the payment arrangement, which may go through India". Pertamina is consulting the Foreign Ministry and Indonesia’s central bank regarding the plan and has approached Russian sellers to buy crude for testing at Pertamina’s refinery

PPKM outside Java-Bali extended until 14 Apr. No areas are classified as Level 4

Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport reported 4,500 international arrivals on 29 Mar, the majority of which are returning Umrah pilgrims and Indonesian Migrant Workers. The airport previously saw an average of 4,000 daily international arrivals, which have increased to around 6,000 daily since the government relaxed quarantine restrictions

PT Timah Tbk is developing ecotourism and biodiversity conservation facilities on a former mining site in the Bangka Belitung Islands, as part of the firm’s and State Owned Enterprises Ministry’s commitment to supporting environmental conservation and supporting the local economy

The COVID-19 Handling Task Force said that pandemic restrictions during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr will be considerably relaxed compared to the past 2 years, including allowing break fast gatherings with necessary health protocols in place

The Finance Minister has lowered the 2022 GDP growth forecast to 4.5%-5.2%, from the previous forecast of 4.8%-5.5%

The Tourism Ministry reported that 15,000 international travellers have arrived in Bali since international flight resumption up until 26 Mar, showing a significant increase when the visa on arrival policy restarted. It also stated that foreign tourists’ spending is higher than the average spending pre-pandemic

The Tourism Minister said that Indonesia has potential for golf tourism spread across many regions such as Jakarta, Bogor, and Bandung in West Java, Surabaya in East Java, Bintan and Belitung in the Riau Islands. He noted that golf tourism has increased during the pandemic and he encouraged the development of 25 new golf courses in the 5 Super Priority Destinations, including at least 5 international standard golf courses

Lounge in the Sky has launched in Indonesia, offering a full course meal served at a 50 metre altitude. The Tourism Minister praised the new innovative attraction, saying that it could serve as a momentum for economic revival that can open more business and employment opportunities. Indonesia is the third country in which Lounge in the Sky has launched, after Belgium and Malaysia

The Foreign Minister said that the Russia-Ukraine war “serves as a reminder for all of us to more carefully manage the Indo-Pacific region”, adding: “Respect for international law, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, must be carried out consistently and not [applied in a] pick-and-choose [manner]”

The Tourism Minister announced that the President has allowed the resumption of music concerts and other creative economic activities, provided they follow strict health protocols including full vaccination for the audience. Capacity limitations for the events will be further discussed

The Tourism Minister noted that human resource development is one of the challenges faced by many regional Tourism Awareness Groups (Pokdarwis), and that “village institution” will be added as a new category in the Indonesian Tourism Village Award to encourage human resource development in the tourism sector

Labuan Bajo expressed readiness to welcome tourists as cases in the area decreased. 78.6% of the target population at the West Manggarai Regency has been fully vaccinated, with a first dose coverage of 97.2%

The Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights informed that they have not received any reports from Russians or Ukrainians in Bali facing financial or immigration-related difficulties. The number of Russian or Ukrainian arrivals has also remained normal, without any significant changes

Riau Islands has replaced the Travel Bubble arrangement with a visa-free entry policy for Singapore citizens and Singapore permanent residents from ASEAN countries: • The visa-waiver is valid for 14 days and not extendable • Travellers will need a passport with a min. of 6 month validity, proof of permanent residency in Singapore, return or onward ticket, pre-booked accommodation, insurance and other requirements stipulated by the COVID-19 Task Force • Visa-free entry points include Batam’s Nongsa Point Marina, Batam Centre, Sekupang, Citra Tri Tunas, and Senimbar Bay Marina, and Bintan’s Bandar Bentan Telani, Lagoi, Bandar Seri Udana Lobam, and Tanjung Pinang through Sri Bintan Pura. Travellers are allowed to depart from any point in Indonesia • Citizens and permanent residents from ASEAN of Singapore, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, the Netherlands, the UK and the US can apply for a Visa on Arrival when entering Riau Islands. The VoAs cost $35 USD and valid for 30 days with possible extension

The Health Ministry stated that Indonesia loses $11.5 billion USD per year due to 600,000-1,000,000 Indonesians travelling abroad to seek medical treatment, especially to Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. The ministry aims to improve the quality of referral services to reduce the number of outbound medical tourists and plans to construct over 100 hospitals by 2024

Meliá Hotels International to launch the Gran Meliá Lombok eco-sensitive resort in 2024. The resort is located in the hillside of Torok Bay, South Lombok and will have 125 units built using locally sourced materials to minimise carbon footprint. The resort will incorporate rainwater collection, and collaborate with Invest Islands on their ongoing energy-saving and waste-management initiatives such as beach cleaning, recycling plastic, and creating compost from organic waste

The Tourism and Creative Economy Minister revealed that the Proud of Indonesian Products National Movement has encouraged the opening of businesses and that 5.5 million MSMEs and artisans have entered marketplaces since the movement’s launch in May 2020 until Feb 2022, with the total number reaching 17.2 million in 2021. The ministry aims to increase the figure by 57% to 30 million MSMEs in online marketplaces by 2023. The minister added that around 150,000 transactions have been made through the Proud of Indonesian Stimulus programme from Oct-Dec 2021, to a total value of 36 billion IDR

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has downgraded its 2022 economic growth forecast for Indonesia to 5.4%, down 0.2% from its previous projection. IMF kept Indonesia’s 2023 growth forecast at 6%

The COVID-19 Handling Task Force revealed that one of the reasons for the booster vaccine requirement for Eid homecoming trips is to raise vaccination rates in various regions. Spokesperson of the Task Force said that international events like G20 succeeded in increasing booster coverage in Bali by 26% in 3 weeks, while booster coverage in West Nusa Tenggara increased 5% ahead of the Mandalika MotoGP

Traveloka, along with the World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia and Mangrove Nusantara (MATA), and supported by the Tourism Ministry and Bali Provincial Authorities has planted 40,000 Mangrove seedlings in Buleleng, Bali to support sustainable tourism. Head of the Bali Tourism Department said that not only the Mangrove Forest in Buleleng contributed to lessening carbon emissions, it could also become a source of income for locals due to its ecotourism potential. Traveloka Co-Founder said that the programme is part of the firm’s commitment to implement sustainable principles to boost ecotourism in the country, adding that they are involving their 40 million users to help with the conservation efforts

The Health Ministry proposes to display QR codes at public transport departure points and checkpoints to aid the verification of travel requirements for those going on homecoming trips during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. Another proposal includes requiring travellers to fill out e-HAC (Electronic Health Alert Card) prior to departure. Requirements for homecoming trips include having received a booster shot, while those who have only received 1 dose must present a negative PCR test, and those who have received 2 doses must present a negative antigen test result

The Nusa Penida Tourism Activist Association has proposed a One Gate One Destination system to be implemented in Nusa Penida. The system would help diversify tourist attractions by building separate tourism destinations in an integrated system

The Tourism Minister believes that the investment opportunities that the ministry offered to foreign investors, valued at $1-1.5 billion USD, could create job opportunities for 1-1.5 million people. The investment aims to be utilised for boosting the development of the 5 Super Priority Destinations, 8 Special Economic Zones, and 12 sustainable tourism projects

Lombok Airport served 72,000 passengers during the period surrounding the MotoGP event from 17-22 Mar, a 5-fold increase over the daily average. Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association reported a 95% hotel occupancy. Chairman of the West Nusa Tenggara Chapter of the association reported that 18,200 rooms out of the 20,607 rooms available in Lombok were booked, with bookings also seen for hotels in Mataram City, as well as Central and West Lombok. He drew a comparison to when hotels “were completely empty” during the Superbike World Championship in Nov 2021. Pertamina reported that the event attracted 65,000 spectators and is estimated to have generated over $209 million USD for the West Nusa Tenggara province. Chairman of the West Nusa Tenggara Chapter of the Association of the Indonesian Travel Agents said that 4,000 tour packages for the event were sold, exceeding the target of 2,000-3,000. He said that many travel agents continue to receive bookings post-MotoGP. He added that they are “building on this momentum” by strengthening destination marketing. He hopes that travel would increase post-Eid al-Fitr travel season in May and aims to see an increase of 40%-50% in arrivals each month. The Samota region in West Nusa Tenggara will host the Motocross Grand Prix in Jun

Jakarta to ease community restrictions in stages according to the PPKM regulations, gradually transitioning into an endemic period. Public transportation capacity has been restored to 100%, on-site dining has been allowed for wedding receptions, while face-to-face learning at schools is also planned to resume at 100% capacity. Breaking fast together during Ramadan will still not be allowed

2,959 foreign arrivals have entered Indonesia through Bali with a visa on arrival (VOA), reaching a high of 478 entrants on 21 Mar. Top applicants for the VoAs include citizens of Australia at 645, followed by Singapore at 316, the US at 277, France at 229, and the UK at 204 people

Russia’s Ambassador to Indonesia has confirmed that Indonesia has invited President Putin to the G20 Summit in Nov and that he intends to attend. Meanwhile, the US and its allies have called for Russia’s removal from the G20. The Australian PM has expressed concerns about Putin’s attendance at the summit, stating that “the idea of sitting around a table with Vladimir Putin . . . is a step too far”. Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry has clarified that as holder of the G20 presidency, it is Indonesia’s obligation to invite all G20 members to the summit. Member of the Commission I (Defence, Foreign and Information Affairs) of Indonesia’s House of Representatives said that Indonesia can not immediately act regarding the western countries’ request to remove Russia from G20, stating: "We must be in a position that is equidistant between the western leadership and the Russian leadership"

The Yogyakarta Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association revealed that occupancy rate in 4 and 5-star hotels has increased from 30% to 50% due to a series of G20 events in the region. Aside from the appointed venues and hotels for the meetings (Hotel Royal Ambarrukmo, Tentrem, Sheraton, and Hyatt), around 6 other 4 or 5-star hotels have been used to accommodate families from the G20 delegates

Mayor of Mataram revealed that around 43 billion IDR circulated in the city during the period of the MotoGP event, including through transportation, F&B, accommodation, and souvenirs, with F&B accounting for 40% while hotels and other accommodations account for 30% of the total

Head of the Gianyar Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association in Bali said that occupancy rate has slightly increased, although not yet been evenly distributed across the various accommodations in the area, including hotels, resorts, and homestays. He added that with the expansion of the visa on arrival scheme, he hopes that other airlines with large networks like Turkish Airways, Emirates, and Qatar Airways can resume their routes to Bali. He expects Gianyar’s business activities can return to 50% of pre-pandemic levels in the summer (Jul-Aug)

Director of InJourney acknowledged and apologised for the shortcomings during the Mandalika MotoGP event, such as the lack of accommodation and transportation facilities, including the lack of shuttle transportation after the event. He added that the shortcomings will be evaluated for future events, including the upcoming World Superbike and GT Challenge events, as well as the next MotoGP events. The Mandalika Circuit is under contract to hold MotoGP events for the next 10 years. InJourney also plans to develop accommodation facilities at the Mandalika Special Economic Zone

Secretary General of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association said that the exemption from electricity subscriptions in 2020, as well as the extension of banking obligations until 2023 has helped the hotel industry greatly during the pandemic. However, he called for the government to extend the payment deadlines until 2025 as the hotel industry is not yet stable and has not yet seen a significant growth

Head of Kuta’s Board of Community Empowerment said that Kuta still has not seen a significant increase in foreign tourist arrival. He also revealed that only about 30% of Kuta’s tourism businesses have resumed operations

The Tourism Minister that the government will invest $782 billion USD into Metaverse development

The Health Ministry is reviewing the booster vaccination requirement for Eid al-Fitr homecoming trips and will decide whether the policy is necessary or not based on the escalation of transmission rate

President Jokowi announced that the government will allow those who have received their booster shot to make Eid al-Fitr homecoming trips

Bali has logged more recoveries than new COVID-19 cases in the past 5 days, recording 108 recovered patients versus 76 new cases. This is attributed to the high booster vaccination rate of 43.20% as of 21 Mar. Bali’s PPKM status has been lowered from Level 3 to Level 2

Artotel Group has been appointed to operate the Batuangus 369 resort complex in North Sulawesi’s Batu Angus Nature Tourist Park. The site is under construction and is expected to open in early 2023. It will comprise 2 areas: The Colosseum, featuring a hotel, villas, restaurants, ballroom and a 2,000-seat amphitheatre; and the Resort featuring villas, cabins, a camping ground, restaurants and 4 meeting rooms for 300 people. Artotel will implement its 4 pillars of Stay, Dine, Play, and Shop in developing cultural events targeting the younger generation of travellers. COO of the group said that they will ensure local participation in the site, including collaborations through exhibitions, performances, and workshops, as well as hiring locals for the majority of the resort staff

The Tourism Minister revealed that his ministry is collaborating with the Indonesian Doctors Association to develop health tourism in Indonesia. He revealed that as many as 699,000 health tourists in Malaysia were Indonesians. He said that health tourism should be developed in Indonesia with a focus on medical tourism, wellness tourism, sports tourism, and science tourism. The ministry will also develop a quick win strategy through word of mouth to promote health tourism

Bali and Beyond Travel Fair to return on 13-18 Jun after a 2-year suspension due to the pandemic. The event will be held at the Bali International Convention Centre in Nusa Dua

Indonesia has allowed quarantine-free travel for international travellers from 23 Mar: • Entry points for international travellers include Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta, Surabaya’s Juanda, Bali’s Ngurah Rai, Riau’s Hang Nadim and Raja Haji Fisabilillah, North Sulawesi’s Sam Ratulangi and West Nusa Tenggara’s Zainuddin Abdul Madjid Airports. Entry by sea is allowed from Bali’s Tanjung Benoa, Riau’s Batam, Bintan, and Tanjung Pinang, and North Kalimantan’s Dab Nunukan Ports. Land border crossings are allowed at Aruk and Entikong in West Kalimantan and Motaain in East Nusa Tenggara • Travellers must present a vaccination certificate, showing proof of second dose vaccination administered at least 14 days prior to entry • Indonesians returning from abroad, foreigners aged 6-17 years old and those with residence permits, limited stay permit cards (KITAS), and permanent residence permit cards (KITAP) who have not been vaccinated will be vaccinated upon arrival after the on-arrival RT-PCR test returns a negative result • Travellers must complete the E-HAC (Electronic Health Alert Card) prior to arrival and use the PeduliLindungi app during their stay • Travellers must present a negative RT-PCR test result taken within 2x24 hours prior to departure • Travellers must present proof of health insurance that can cover the costs of COVID-19 treatment • Travellers will be subject to an on-arrival RT-PCR test at the airport. Travellers will be allowed to proceed to their accommodation but will not be allowed to leave until the test returned negative • Non-fully vaccinated travellers will be subject to a 5-day quarantine and an exit RT-PCR test on day 4 of quarantine. Non-fully vaccinated travellers due to medical reasons will be allowed to bypass quarantine if they present a medical certificate • Travellers who tested positive upon arrival with mild symptoms will be allowed to self-isolate at home, hotels, or centralised facilities, while those with severe symptoms or comorbidities will be required to isolate at hospitals. Foreigners will need to bear all isolation costs, while the government will cover isolation costs for Indonesians

Chairperson of the Association of Indonesian Travel Agents (ASTINDO) said that local travel agents have not been involved in international events held at the 5 Super Priority Destinations. She revealed that the events were handled by Professional Conference Organisers (PCO) from Jakarta, including the recently held Mandalika MotoGP and the upcoming G20 meetings. She added that travel agents have not seen a significant increase in revenue, which is not enough to cover the debts accumulated from the 2 years of pandemic

The East Nusa Tenggara Department of Tourism aims to develop community-based tourism in 7 areas across 4 islands in 2022: Anakoli, Uma Uta, and Golowori villages in Flores Island; Lelogama and Tuamese villages in Timor Island; Waiwuang village in Sumba Island; and Kelaba Maja village in Sabu Island. Head of the department said that the 7 areas are not yet widely known due to their isolated locations and lack of infrastructure. He said that the areas have potential for nature, marine, and culture tourism development. East Nusa Tenggara will have 14 total community-based tourism areas with the addition of the 7 new ones

Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights reported that around 2,000 foreigners have entered Bali with a visa on arrival. Head of the office expects that more will come with the expansion of the VoA scheme from 23 to 42 countries

The Tourism Ministry organised a famtrip in Lombok and Bali for press and media from East Asian markets, including Japan, South Korea, and China, to promote Indonesia’s international tourism reopening

President Jokowi said that the Russia-Ukraine war has caused many challenges that could “deepen the global economic crisis and political tension”. He said that the war has caused inflation as well as an increase in oil, gas, and wheat prices, among others

Java-Bali PPKM extended until 4 Apr. Jakarta and Bali are at Level 2. No area is currently at Level 4

Klungkung Regency in Bali aims to welcome 51,000 visitors in 2022, specifically 36,000 to the Nusa Penida island and 15,000 to mainland Klungkung. The region received over 400,000 visitors annually pre-pandemic

Pre-departure PCR tests will not be required for Hajj pilgrimages, should departures take place in 2022. PCR tests will still be required for returning pilgrims, once in Saudi Arabia prior to departure and once more upon arrival in Indonesia at the Hajj dormitory. The policy will be reviewed based on the development of the COVID-19 situation

The development of the Mandalika Special Economic Zone has reportedly caused villagers living in the area to lose land. Issues about land conflicts surrounding the project have been raised by the UN in 2021, although many disputes remain unsettled

Advisor at the Indonesian Public Health Expert Association said that the decrease in cases is “no excuse” to lift safety measures entirely, including the quarantine requirement. He noted that the testing rate has plummeted since the lifting of the testing requirement for domestic travellers, from around 250,000 people tested per day to around 100,000. COVID-19 Task Force Spokesperson said that they have received reports of COVID-19 patients taking advantage of the lifting of testing requirements and travelling domestically despite being positive for COVID-19

Angkasa Pura I reported that the number of passengers in its airports increased by 20% since the testing requirements for domestic travellers was lifted. The airport operator recorded 761,234 passengers travelling through its 15 airports between 8-14 Mar, compared to 631,271 in the first week of Mar. The number of flights between 8-14 Mar stood at 7,208, up 9% WoW from 6,610. President Director of AP I said that the increase in the number of domestic passengers and flights following the lifting of testing requirements is a “positive signal that the aviation and tourism industries are slowly being reinvigorated”

The visa on arrival scheme for international visitors arriving at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport has been expanded from 23 to 42 countries. China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, India, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Seychelles, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Tunisia have been added to the list

Buleleng Regency in Bali has not reported an increase in foreign visitors since Bali’s reopening, although hotel bookings have been made for Apr. The Buleleng Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association noted that Apr bookings are still around 10%-20% of the maximum occupancy, with expectations for it to increase more in Jul-Aug. They reported that some bookings have come from German and French tourists, mostly in 3 and 4-star hotels. Buleleng has prepared nearly 5,000 rooms for tourists

The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association West Nusa Tenggara Chapter reported that the hotel occupancy rate in the province reached 95% during the MotoGP event, with hotels at Mataram, West Lombok, and Central Lombok areas fully booked due to their proximity to Mandalika. Hotels have begun preparing Ramadan packages in an effort to maintain the momentum and high occupancy post-MotoGP

Construction has started for the Bintan International Circuit in the Riau Islands, with an aim to host F1 races in 2024. The construction is expected to take around one and a half to two years and will be privately-funded. The intention to host F1 races has raised questions due to Bintan’s proximity to Singapore, which is already a regular F1 host

Indonesia’s tourism players dissatisfied with the government's decision to retain the 2 compulsory PCR tests upon arrival for international travellers despite the implementation of the quarantine-free and visa on arrival policies. The tests were considered “redundant” and “a financial burden” for short-haul travellers, particularly those from Southeast Asia. Tour operators also hope that the government would consider offering visa waivers for Southeast Asian travellers. Aneka Kartika Tours reported that 150 tourists from the Philippines who planned on travelling to Bali in May are considering going to Thailand instead as the costs are lower. The Indonesia Inbound Tour Operators Association noted that many tourists coming to Indonesia in the coming months were those who had bought 2020 tour packages that were postponed due to pandemic

Interest in properties at the Mandalika and Lombok areas have gone up following the MotoGP event, according to Real Estate Indonesia

The Tourism Minister estimated that the Mandalika MotoGP event has created a multiplier effect that surpassed the economic turnover target of 500 billion IDR. The event has also directly and indirectly created 35-50,000 jobs

The Tourism Minister is optimistic that international and domestic tourist arrivals to Lombok will increase post-MotoGP along with the easing of travel restrictions. He noted that the success of the event is an important opportunity to strengthen Indonesia’s position as a “world-class sport tourism destination”. The Mandalika Circuit will hold 2 more international events in 2022: the GT World Challenge Asia on 21-23 Oct and the World Superbike (WSBK) on 11-13 Nov

The Minister of Religious Affairs revealed that Saudi Arabia will allow Hajj pilgrimage in 2022, although the quota allocation for each country has not been announced yet. He added that while the quota might not yet be fully restored to pre-pandemic level, he hopes that Indonesia would be allocated an “ideal quota” that is proportional to the high number of prospective Hajj pilgrims

The Tourism Minister noted that an official from FIM (International Motorcycling Federation) has said that many international-level races are eyeing holding events at the Mandalika Circuit. Many automotive communities have also expressed interest in holding test drives in the circuit. The minister noted that the execution of the MotoGP event will be reviewed to plan improvements needed for future events

The Transport Ministry anticipated the traffic departing Lombok after the MotoGP event to peak on the evening of 20 Mar. 59 additional flights, comprising 38 extra flights, 14 charter flights, and 7 positioning flights with a total of 9,392 seats have been prepared to anticipate the surge of passenger traffic. During the period surrounding the MotoGP event, the ministry had prepared a total of 168 flights with a total of 29,300 seats, comprising 135 extra flights, 22 charter flights, and 11 positioning flights on standby to and from Jakarta, Denpasar, and Surabaya. Passenger ships and Ro-Ro ships have also been prepared to areas such as Bali, Surabaya, and surrounding areas

Bali has been chosen to host the 10th World Water Forum in 2024, making Indonesia the first Southeast Asian country to host the event

Deputy Governor of Bali said that the pandemic should be utilised as a chance to develop tourism sustainably according to the characteristics of each region. He added that tourism development in other parts of Bali should not just “copy [and] paste” the tourism development in South Bali, the region most known for tourism. He gave the examples that East Bali is suitable for religious tourism, West Bali for fisheries, North Bali for agriculture, and Central Bali for historical, cultural, and artistic tourism

Tabanan Regency in Bali plans to remove 3,100 hectares of unproductive rice fields and repurpose the land for tourism and infrastructure development

Garut Regency in West Java plans to build specialised hospitals as part of the regency’s health tourism development. The regent added that a lung hospital development is being discussed with relevant ministries

A serological survey by the University of Indonesia has shown that 86.6% of those over 1 year old in Indonesia have developed antibodies against the coronavirus

The Tourism MInistry said that around 300 MSMEs have reaped benefits from the MotoGP event to a total profit of around 1.2 billion IDR. He also said that the event provided “invaluable” tourism promotion for Lombok and Indonesia in general

Head of the Presidential Staff regards the protocols at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport to be satisfactory in serving foreign visitors and urges tourists not to worry about visiting Bali. The airport has prepared PCR testing booths and laboratories that can examine up to 936 samples per hour, as well as 16 Visa on Arrival counters. He added that hotel occupancy in Bali has gone up. Angkasa Pura I reported that Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport served 7,660 passengers across 94 international flights up to 16 Mar, up from 2,933 across 64 flights the month before

Bali Tourism Agency has proposed the central government resume the visa on arrival policies for 18 more countries: China, India, Switzerland, Spain, Taiwan, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Poland, Chille, Morocco, Tunisia, Hong Kong, Denmark, Belgium, Hungary, Russia, and Ukraine

Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association Bali chapter reported that Bali’s hotel occupancy has increased to 25%-30% from 15% since the implementation of the quarantine-free and visa on arrival policies. Bali Tourism Department reported that foreign tourist arrivals have increased from around 120 per day to 358 since the policies started. Domestic tourist arrivals also increased since the lifting of testing requirements, reaching 21,000-22,000 per day from 15,000. Stakeholder Relation Manager of Angkasa Pura I reported that arrivals at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport increased 20% since the lifting of testing requirements and foreign arrivals increased 74% since the quarantine-free and VoA policies started on 7 Mar. He expected that the number will continue to increase as it is not the peak season yet

Jetstar Australia’s first flight to Bali carried 300 passengers including 26 Australian media and travel agents for a famtrip. The airline has also launched the Jetstar Un-Bali-vable Fare Frenzy campaign offering low ticket fares in collaboration with 15 local MSMEs affected by the pandemic. The Tourism Minister appreciates the involvement of MSMEs in the campaign and expects the programme to be “a momentum for the recovery of the national economy, especially for Bali”. Jetstar plans to resume Sydney-Denpasar flights in early Apr, as well as routes from Brisbane, Adelaide, Cairns, and Gold Coast in May

Padangbai Port in Karangasem, Bali recorded a 30% increase in activity over the last 5 days ahead of the MotoGP event, receiving over 1,500 vehicles daily compared to 300 on normal days

COVID-19 Handling Task Force Spokesperson said that the government has not made any decision whether homecoming would be allowed for the Eid Al-Fitr holidays. He added that the decision would be based on vaccination and booster rates, as well as the public’s compliance to health protocols

10 more international routes to Bali to reopen in summer, with 4 routes already approved, including AirAsia’s Kuala Lumpur-Denpasar and Batik Air’s Singapore-Denpasar, and 6 more in the process of approval: Jetstar’s Melbourne-Denpasar, AirAsia’s Singapore-Denpasar, Turkish Airlines’ Istanbul-Denpasar, Qantas’ Melbourne-Denpasar, Virgin Australia’s Denpasar routes, and Emirates’ Dubai-Denpasar. Director General of Air Transport at the Transport Ministry revealed that domestic passenger movements also increased by 11% in the second week of Mar

Health Ministry Spokesperson said that the government will not “instantly announce” Indonesia’s endemic status, but noted that the country is undergoing a transition period to an endemic phase through the relaxation of restrictions

Tourism stakeholders disagree on government decision to increase VAT from 10% to 11% from 1 Apr and further to 12% on 1 Jan 2025. They regard the decisions as “poorly timed” amid the early stages of recovery from the economic strain due to the pandemic. General Manager for Business Development and Marketing Communications at Santika Indonesia Hotels and Resorts said that the 1% increment would cause a “worrying rise” in hotel daily operational costs as many consumables, including ingredients and toiletries, are subject to VAT

Mataram City Tourism Service in West Nusa Tenggara said that 70% of MotoGP spectators have arrived and are staying in the city, with hotel occupancy reaching 70%. All 2,288 rooms at starred hotels in Mataram have been booked since early Feb. Hotels in Mataram have also been asked to provide free shuttles to the bus shelter that will provide free transportation to the Mandalika Circuit

Head of the Central Lombok Tourism Department revealed that only 280 out of the 1,075 tents available at the Mandalika camping ground have been booked. Hotels, villas, homestays, and tourism residential facilities in the Mandalika area have been fully booked for the MotoGP period

Head of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association Karangasem, Bali chapter revealed that at least 200 temporary bookings for the 500 hotel rooms allocated in Bali for the MotoGP event have been cancelled or left unpaid. He assumed that guests have chosen to book accommodations in Lombok instead as there are still over 2,600 rooms available

Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation reported that a total of around 100,000 MotoGP tickets have been sold for the 3 days of the event. ITDC said that nearly 100% of spectators are Indonesians

25 employees of a hotel in Bali who faced “unreasonable” termination of employment held a peaceful protest to demand justice from the hotel management. The management refused to meet with the employees and have not given any clarifications

The Tourism Ministry held a meeting with Singapore’s Second Minister of Trade and Industry to discuss tourism cooperation between the two countries. He discussed the possibility to ease testing requirements for the Batam Bintan-Singapore VTL to only antigen testing instead of PCR test and to increase the traveller quota for the VTL. He also said that there are potentials for cooperation in wellness and medical tourism with Singapore, adding that medical tourism infrastructure is among the things being prepared at the 5 Super Priority Destinations

Singaporean tourists visiting Batam and Bintan will no longer be limited to designated areas in the travel bubble and will be allowed to travel freely in all areas of Batam and Bintan. Riau Islands Tourism Office hopes that the easing of border restrictions could be implemented for other areas in the province as well, not only Batam and Bintan

The Tourism Ministry’s proposal to include China and India in the visa on arrival list has been approved at the limited Cabinet meeting. The updated VoA list to be announced soon

COVID-19 Handling Task Force Spokesperson believes that Indonesia has passed the peak of the Omicron wave, showing a 64% decrease in cases since the peak in mid-Feb

PPKM has been extended until 21 Mar for Java- Bali region and until 28 Mar for all other regions. Jakarta stays at Level 2 and Bali stays at Level 3

7 out of 9 regions in Bali have been marked as yellow zones as cases decreased, while the other 2, Badung and Gianyar, are still orange zones with a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission

Site of an ancient temple in Srigading village, East Java to be designated as a heritage tourism site following excavation and reconstruction

Deputy Chair of the COVID-19 Handling Committee revealed that Indonesia plans to expand the visa on arrival policy to include other airports in Indonesia, such as Jakarta and Surabaya. He added that there are also plans to expand the list of countries allowed to apply for VoA, especially for top tourism markets and G20 countries

The Association of The Indonesian Tours And Travel Agencies (ASITA) has proposed to add 10 more countries to the visa on arrival list, including India

449 foreign tourists have entered Bali with visas on arrival since the policy resumed on 7 Mar, earning $15,600 USD in non-tax state revenue. Deputy Chair of the COVID-19 Handling Committee said the quarantine-free policy will be evaluated for one more week before deciding to implement it nationwide

The Tourism Ministry has deployed 10 food trucks and collaborated with Bango to hold the Festival Jajanan Bango culinary festival in Mandalika to showcase Indonesian cuisine at the MotoGP event as part of the ministry’s Spice Up the World programme that aims to develop Indonesia as a leading gastronomy destination

The Tourism Ministry reported that 6,492 accommodation units are still available in the Lombok area ahead of MotoGP, while accommodations in the Mandalika circuit area have been fully booked except for the 1,300 units available on the camping ground

Head of the Hotel and Restaurant Association West Nusa Tenggara chapter said that 9,087 hotel rooms are still available in the Gili Islands, as well as East and North Lombok ahead of the MotoGP event. He added that homestays are still available in Central Lombok

West Nusa Tenggara Governor confident that accommodation for the MotoGP event will be enough as not all 60,000 spectators are coming from outside of Lombok

President Jokowi warned that the Russia-Ukraine crisis might disrupt domestic price stability. He admitted that while it keeps Indonesia’s inflation level low at less than 3%, holding on to current price limits on oil and gas-related products has become “increasingly difficult”

Head of the Association of The Indonesian Tours And Travel Agencies (ASITA) reported that they still receive enquiries from those looking to buy race day tickets for the MotoGP event, despite it being sold out. He said that they try to offer tickets for the free practice sessions on day 1 and the qualifications on day 2 which are still available. He added that the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises bought 21,000 tickets, which left few tickets for the general public

West Nusa Tenggara Police predicted that 65-100,000 spectators will attend the Mandalika MotoGP, dominated by those from out of town. General Manager of ASDP reported that 21,700 MotoGP tickets were bought from Bali indicating that at least said number of people will be commuting to Lombok from Bali. Angkasa Pura’s flight ticketing data showed that passenger traffic to Lombok will peak on 17 Mar, with 9,544 arrivals scheduled

Head of the Association of The Indonesian Tours And Travel Agencies (ASITA) predicted that visits to Bali would only increase in Jul-Aug due to the time needed for international tourists to make preparations and tour operators to market their products. He said that the easing of restrictions to enter Bali received an enthusiastic response from prospective European tourists planning to come in the summer

Bank Indonesia’s survey has shown that the Consumer Confidence Index in Bali stood at 97.25 in Feb, down from 105.9 in Jan due to the Omicron wave. The national index stood at 113.1 in Feb, down from 119.6 in Jan. Bali Head of Bank Indonesia stated that the decrease of Bali’s tourism activities after the year-end holidays contributed to the lowered economic optimism

Bank Indonesia’s survey has shown that retail sales in Bali fell 0.3% MoM in Feb due to the Omicron wave and the end of the year-end tourism activities, but still up 3.2% YoY

Bank Indonesia predicted that Indonesia’s economy will recover in the mid-term, supported by increased domestic productivity and the development of sharia economy and halal finance. Tourism is also expected to gain momentum with the relaxation of mobility restrictions and events like the Mandalika MotoGP

Indonesia to focus on entering the “deceleration phase”, one step below the pandemic level, before moving to an endemic phase

Bali Governor reported that out of over 4,600 international visitors arriving in Bali from 3 Feb-13 Mar, 20 tested positive for COVID-19. He added that there are currently 7 airlines operating 8 routes in and out of Bali, with an average of 500 international arrivals daily

Electricity company PLN to support infrastructure development in Likupang Super Priority Destination, including developing 5G network infrastructure at resorts, marinas, and other tourism facilities

West Nusa Tenggara Tourism Department noted that 11,169 or 62% from the 17,833 total accommodations in the province have been booked. Floating accommodation has also been prepared for the event, including a ferry with a capacity of 2,500 and 5 phinisi traditional ships with a capacity of 20 each

The Tourism Minister hopes to develop sports-based tourism and ecotourism in the Pacitan regency in East Java

The Indonesian Hotel General Manager Association has proposed that Bali accommodations lower their rates in support of the visa on arrival and quarantine-free policy to “give the best offers for potential travellers”

Tourist attractions in Bali haven’t seen an increase in foreign tourists despite the implementation of the visa on arrival and quarantine-free policies

Java-Bali PPKM Coordinator believes that Indonesia should be cautious in handling the pandemic and not rush into transitioning to the endemic phase, even as other countries in the region have begun to do so

Transport Ministry spokesperson said that there is an increase in passenger volumes at train stations and airports following the relaxed testing requirements, although exact figures are not yet available. The ministry will conduct studies on community movement patterns to determine policies for the Eid al-Fitr homecoming period. Train operator KAI in Yogyakarta said there has not been a significant increase in passenger volumes, although the antigen test service at the station serves less passengers, from up to 800 per day or 1,500-1,800 on weekends to 50 per day. The Yogyakarta-Solo commuter line has also not shown a significant increase in passenger volumes despite an increase in capacity to 60%

The Tourism Ministry has launched the “Telusur Mandalika” game ahead of the MotoGP event, letting users virtually explore Mandalika and introducing destinations in the area through games and quizzes

Garuda Indonesia CEO informed that sales increased 20% within 3 days of the government’s announcement to lift testing requirements for domestic travellers. He added that Garuda will maintain its Amsterdam route, but will not return to London as it was unprofitable. He said the airline’s long-term strategy is to provide direct flights to Bali from “anywhere in the world”, as the majority of foreign visitors to Indonesia goes to Bali

The Tourism Ministry informed that all tourism residential facilities (Sarhunta) in the Mandalika Special Economic Zone have now been certified with CHSE (Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environmental Sustainability) standards

Director of the Centre of Economics and Law Studies predicted that there would be a sharp decline in the COVID-19 testing businesses due to the gradual lifting of various testing restrictions

Head of Jakarta’s Tourism Department believes that there is still potential to develop new tourism products in the Thousand Islands, such as nature-based tourism in Tidung Kecil Island with its conservation areas, mangrove farms, and urban farming, as well as religious tourism in Panjang Island as it is the location of the tomb of a sultan

Deputy at the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment said that the government plans to expand the countries eligible for visas on arrival from the current 23

31 international travellers have obtained visas on arrival upon arriving in Bali on 9 Mar, up 4-fold from the 7 travellers on 7 Mar, the first day of the resumption of the policy. International travellers granted VoAs on 9 Mar include 5 Malaysians, 3 Singaporeans and 6 Americans, 4 Australians, 2 Canadians, 3 French, 3 German, and 5 UK citizens. Non-VoA arrivals include travellers from Belgium, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, and Saudi Arabia among others

Oil and gas company Pertamina announced that the Russia-Ukraine crisis has triggered a jump in jet fuel prices, which could cause a rise in air ticket prices. Garuda Indonesia says that it is still reviewing whether the fuel price increase would affect ticket prices and have not commented further

Public Relations Official at Bali’s Tanah Lot tourist attraction said that visitor numbers have increased in Jan-Feb, reaching 1,500-2,000 daily visitors from the previous average of 200-300. She said that while the effects of the quarantine-free policy and the reinstatement of visas on arrivals have not yet been seen at the attraction, she is optimistic that visitor numbers will rise in the next 2-3 weeks

Deputy Governor of Bali said that Bali was the hardest-hit area in Indonesia during the pandemic due to its over-dependence on tourism, with the sector occupying 54% of Bali’s GRDP. He informed that the governor has devised the Bali Kerthi Economy concept in efforts to “balance the structure and fundamentals of the Balinese economy” by considering the island’s nature, people, and culture. The tourism sector is placed in the 6th priority, preceded by agriculture in first, followed by marine/fishery; industrial; small and medium industries and cooperatives; as well as the creative and digital economy sectors

Chairman of the National Entrepreneurs Network believes that the Mandalika MotoGP event would attract domestic and international investors to invest in West Nusa Tenggara. He said that accommodation, transportation, clean energy, and fisheries are sectors that have potential for investments. He added that some ambassadors and entrepreneurs have begun exploring investment opportunities after Mandalika became an icon of West Nusa Tenggara. He believes that direct flights to West Nusa Tenggara should be increased to drive the entry of tourists and investment to the province

The Tourism Minister believes that 2022 will be the year for tourism and employment recovery. He added that his ministry had adjusted to the shifting tourism trends by encouraging healthier lifestyle habits for the local community, training on health protocols, utilising the PeduliLindungi app, and ensuring environmental and food hygiene. He also believes that “a new economy will be formed in tourism villages, which will be our driving force to create more opportunities”. He added that visits to tourism villages increased 30% in 2021

The Tourism Ministry’s official Instagram account has been hacked by an unknown party. The minister said that the incident showed a lack in Indonesia’s cyber defence systems and assured that the ministry has coordinated with Instagram and Meta regarding the hacking. He reiterated that Indonesia should focus on 3 things for digitalisation, including cyber security, digital payments, and financial technology (fintech) or investment and financing through technology platforms

The Health Ministry Spokesperson said that there are currently no plans to revise the upper limit for PCR and antigen swab test prices amid the relaxation of testing requirements for domestic travellers. She added that use of antigen test kits have reportedly decreased since the policy announcement. The cap in PCR test prices remain at 275,000 IDR for Java-Bali and 300,000 IDR for other regions, while antigen swab test prices remain at 99,000 IDR for Java-Bali and 109,000 IDR for other regions

Face-to-face learning capacity at Jakarta’s schools remains at 50% despite the lowered PPKM status to Level 2

Stakeholder Relations Manager of Angkasa Pura I for Bali Ngurah Rai Airport reported that the airport is expected to experience a spike in domestic arrivals over the coming days, following the government’s move to lift COVID-19 testing requirements for domestic travellers. He expected that daily passenger number would increase by 20% after the policy adjustment

Many Russian tourists in Bali are reportedly facing economic struggles due to sanctions against Russia’s banks. Around 1,150 Russians entered Indonesia in Jan, according to Statistics Indonesia

The National Tourism Association has collaborated with edutech platform Cakap and the Loccal Collection Hotel to launch an English language training programme for 5,000 tourism workers in Labuan Bajo to support the destination’s readiness to welcome international tourists as a Super Priority Destination. Cakap has also previously partnered with the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association to provide training on the English language and hospitality skills

411 international visitors have arrived in Bali since the quarantine-free policy was implemented on 7 Mar

International travellers entering Indonesia who have received second dose vaccination or have been boosted are now only required to quarantine for 1x24 hours, although travellers will be required to undergo a second PCR test on the third day of arrival. Partially vaccinated travellers will still be subject to a 7-day quarantine and are required to undergo a second PCR test on the sixth day of quarantine

All available rooms in the Mataram, West Lombok, and Central Lombok areas have been fully booked for the duration of the Mandalika MotoGP event on 15-23 Mar. Currently 200 homestay rooms are still available in East Lombok

Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation’s Director of Finance, Strategy and Risk Management said Mandalika has potential to host other international sporting events besides automotive-based sports. He said that the coast and land areas open the possibility for events such as triathlon, surfing, marathon, paragliding, cycling, and more to be held in Mandalika

The Tourism Minister aims to develop the Indonesian gaming and E-sports industry. He said that E-sports is “one of the pillars of Indonesia's economic revival” and could create business and employment opportunities. He added that 90% of the $2 billion USD economic share in the gaming industry goes to international players since the games do not have a basis in Indonesia. He urged local developers to participate in building an E-sports ecosystem prepared through the Tourism and Finance Ministries’ Public Service Agency dedicated to developing the creative economy ecosystem, especially the video game sub-sector

West Sumatra Provincial Government to collaborate with SUCOFINDO to develop halal tourism through halal certification, equipment review and certification, environmental studies, and certifications of quality management system as well as occupational health and safety. West Sumatra is one of the provinces designated by Indonesia’s VP through the National Sharia Economic and Finance Committee as one of the halal industry centres in the country. West Sumatra also previously won the World Best Halal Destination, Culinary, and Tour Travel awards at the 2016 World Halal Tourism Award

Bank Indonesia survey has shown that the consumer confidence index stood at 113.1 points in Feb, down from 119.6 in Jan although a reading above 100 in general is considered optimistic

Airport operator Angkasa Pura I recorded 6,090,015 passengers across its 15 airports in Jan-Feb, up 59% YoY. Air traffic reached 67,173 flights, up 8.3% YoY. In Feb alone, the airports served 2,591,586 passengers across 30,637 flights

Head of the West Nusa Tenggara Tourism Office informed that 6,664 rooms are still available in Lombok ahead of the Mandalika MotoGP event, including hotels, villas, bungalows, homestays, and tourism residential facilities (Sarhunta), especially in the Gili Islands, Senaru (North Lombok), Sembalun (East Lombok), Suranadi (West Lombok) areas

COVID-19 Handling Task Force Spokesperson announced that the quarantine-free trial for international travellers entering Batam, Bintan, and Bali will be evaluated weekly including monitoring the positivity rate from international arrivals

International travellers entering Bali under the quarantine-free policy will be required to show proof of paid hotel booking of at least 4 days. Travellers must also undergo a PCR test on the third day of arrival at their respective hotels

The Public Relations Sub-coordinator of the Immigration Office confirmed that the Visa on Arrival policy will be the same as the one implemented pre-pandemic. • The policy only applies for those arriving through Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport, although travellers can travel to other parts of Indonesia afterwards and leave the country from any region. Requirements to apply for a visa on arrival include: • Visitors must show a passport that is still valid for at least 6 months • Visitors must possess a round-trip air ticket or a ticket connecting to other countries • Visitors must pay a VoA tariff of $35 USD • The visa granted is valid for only 30 days and can only be extended once

Fully vaccinated domestic travellers are no longer required to submit negative COVID-19 test results when travelling by air, land, and sea transport. Partially vaccinated people and those unvaccinated due to underlying medical conditions still need to undergo PCR test 3x24 hours or ART 1x24 hours prior to departure

Head of the West Nusa Tenggara Tourism Department said that Lombok will likely welcome a lot of international tourists due to its proximity to Bali as international travellers will be allowed to travel outside of Bali as well under the quarantine-free policy. He hopes that the policy can also be extended to West Nusa Tenggara, if proven successful. Statistics Agency of West Nusa Tenggara reported that hotel occupancy in Jan remains low, with domestic guests dominating at 97%

Secretary General of the Ministry of Manpower said that the pandemic impact is most experienced by the lower middle-class workforce. He added that there is pressure on labour wage levels, especially in tourism-related sectors like accommodation and F&B. Bali recorded the highest decline in the average level of labour wages, falling 17.91%

The Indonesia Wellness & Health Tourism Expo 2022 will be held on 9-13 Mar at Jakarta’s Kota Kasablanka Mall. The Tourism Minister hopes the event will help boost consumer confidence on health services in Indonesia, instead of going abroad to seek medical services. The event will feature 20 participants, of which 15 are hospitals, offering bundle packages of health services combined with accommodations in nearby hotels. The packages will not only be offered during the event but will also be offered through associations like the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA), Association of Indonesian Travel Agents (ASTINDO), Association of Indonesian Tourism Actors (ASPPI), as well as collaborating travel agents

Head of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association Badung Chapter optimistic that tourism will recover gradually through 2022, reaching a full recovery by 2023 and stabilising in 2024

Bali tourism stakeholders welcomed the lifting of quarantine restrictions and the resumption of the visa on arrival policy. The Bali Regional Head of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies believes that the implementation of the relaxed travel restrictions is very timely to attract European markets in the upcoming Jun-Sep summer holiday, since bookings usually start in Mar-Apr. He added that travel agencies have received thousands of clients looking to come to Bali in the summer. Head of the Bali Tourism Board said that the resumption of Sydney-Bali flights also opens the door for tourists to come to Bali in the summer, and that the reopening of the route could drive tourism recovery by up to 20%

Health Ministry Spokesperson stated that the virus transmission rate has slowed down in Indonesia’s major islands and is expected to fall below 1 within the next month

Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport has prepared a separate route for those seeking visas on arrival. Stakeholder Relations Manager of Angkasa Pura I for Bali Ngurah Rai Airport said that international arrivals would undergo temperature checks, system entry and document checks, then undergo an on-arrival PCR test, before proceeding to VoA checks and immigration

Head of the Emergency Health Support Sub-department at the COVID-19 Handling Task Force said that the relaxation of COVID-19 testing requirements for domestic travellers will be implemented gradually, starting from Bali, then to agglomeration regions with basic vaccination coverage, over 80% elderly vaccination rate, and over 30% booster rate. Earlier, the Java-Bali PPKM Coordinator said that fully-vaccinated domestic travellers on land, sea, and air transportation will no longer be required to submit COVID-19 testing results, adding that details will be issued in a circular soon

Government Spokesperson for COVID-19 Handling announced that the government has prepared a roadmap for Indonesia’s transition into an endemic phase. The roadmap aims to normalise community activities through virus control policies, setting a hospital occupancy limit and suppressing the COVID-19 death rate. She added that the roadmap has proven effective as it has helped in controlling the latest COVID-19 wave. She also said that to prepare for the endemic phase, case tracking capacity must also be improved

Java-Bali PPKM extended until 14 Mar. Jakarta down to Level 2, while Bali stays at Level 3. PPKM Level 2 allows 75% capacity, for offices, F&B establishments, malls, arts, cultural, and sports activities, while Level 3 allows 60% capacity for F&B establishments and malls, along with 50% capacity for offices, arts, cultural, and sports activities

Live spectators are now allowed at sporting events, with maximum capacity determined by PPKM Levels: 25% for Level 4, 50% for Level 3, 75% for Level 2, and 100% for Level 1. All spectators must have already received booster shots and must use the PeduliLindungi app

Fully-vaccinated MotoGP spectators will not be required to undergo COVID-19 testing since West Nusa Tenggara’s second dose vaccination rate has reached 70%, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs announced. He added that all 60,000 tickets for the the 3rd day has sold out

Over 2,000 international travellers have entered Bali since international flight resumption at Ngurah Rai Airport. Acting Head of Bali Tourism Agency aims to increase the number of foreign tourists by holding tourism and MICE events

UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) visited the Komodo National Park in Labuan Bajo to inspect the conservation area and meet with the parties who opposed tourism development in the area due to concerns of the conservation of the Komodo habitat. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee previously asked the Indonesian government in Jul 2021 to temporarily suspend all infrastructure development in and around the national park, as well as submit a revised environmental impact assessment to be reviewed by the IUCN

Bali to lift quarantine requirements for international travellers from 7 Mar, as well as resume visa on arrival policy for travellers from 23 countries (United States, Canada, Australia, England, Netherlands, Germany, Qatar, France, Japan, South Korea, Italy, New Zealand, UAE, Turkey, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, and Cambodia). Requirements for international travellers include: • Visitors must present proof of vaccination or booster • Visitors must take a PCR test upon arrival and wait for the results before going to public areas • Visitors who test positive are required to undergo isolation at the appointed quarantine hotel, while patients with comorbid diseases and senior citizens must undergo isolation at the appointed hospital • Visitors must have insurance that could cover the risk of contracting COVID-19 during their trip • Visitors must take another PCR test on the 3rd day before they are allowed to visit provinces outside Bali

Bali Governor informed that only 7 or 0.04% of 1,916 international visitors tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Bali since Feb reopening. He added that 11 more international airlines are looking to resume direct flights to Bali

West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government revealed that hotels and homestays in the Mandalika Circuit area have been fully booked, and that spectators have turned to renting houses for accommodation. 180 out of 1,000 tents on the camping ground have also been booked

Hotels have increased their rates 2 to 3-fold from usual prices for the Mandalika MotoGP event on 17-18 Mar, as confirmed by the Chairperson of the Indonesian Travel Agent Association and as seen on Traveloka

COVID-19 Handling spokesperson believes that the COVID-19 pandemic is a global issue that needs to be handled with global unified actions. He stated that “If the pandemic is over in Indonesia, but some other countries are still struggling to control the pandemic, then the COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet” and added that Indonesia will not enter the endemic stage if other countries are still trailing behind in COVID-19 handling

Garuda Indonesia has resumed its Sydney-Bali route after a 2-year suspension, carrying 61 Australians into Bali. Australia had been a top market for Bali, with 4 out of 100 Australians travelling to Bali each year pre-pandemic, the Indonesian Consul General for Sydney revealed

Joyland Festival to be held live in Bali on 25-27 Mar after the previous edition 2 years ago had to be held online due to the pandemic. Joyland’s Program and Festival Director said that they plan to organise the event annually in Bali

Network provider Telkomsel has launched a loyalty programme that allows customers to trade points for a lucky draw with MotoGP tickets and tour packages as the prize, as part of the company’s effort to support tourism revival amid the pandemic

Head of East Nusa Tenggara Tourism Office said that 5 festivals are scheduled in 2022 to support tourism recovery, including the Semana Santa Festival, Dugong Festival, Pameto Festival, Wolobobo Festival, and Parade Kebangsaan Festival. He added that the 5 festivals represent various types of tourism in the area including nature, culture, religion and nationalism. All events are also part of the Tourism Ministry’s 2022 Kharisma Event Nusantara programme

The Health Minister predicted that daily cases will fall below 5,000 within the next 40 days as cases in two-thirds of 34 provinces in Indonesia start to decline. The Omicron wave peaked at 64,718 cases on 23 Feb before consistently declining. The peak of the Delta wave in mid-Jul hit 56,757 cases

Indonesia sees fluctuating daily cases with 37,259 cases recorded on 3 Mar, lower than the previous day’s 40,920 cases but higher than 24,728 cases on 1 Mar

At least 1,600 foreign tourists from Bali flocked to Lombok’s Gili Islands as activities in Bali ceased for the Day of Silence. Head of the Gili Hotels Association said tourists began arriving 3 days before the Day of Silence and the number peaked on 2 Mar. He added that most tourists spent 3-5 days on the islands before returning to Bali

Bali Governor proposed to expedite the quarantine-free policy to 7 Mar from the initial plan of 14 Mar and to resume the visa on arrival policy. Both proposals have received support in the coordination meeting in preparation for Bali reopening and will be discussed in a final meeting on 4 Mar. The governor also proposed to remove the entry test requirements for airline crew and open the Benoa Port for arrival via cruises and yachts. He also expressed his commitment to reach at least 30% booster vaccination coverage in Bali before reopening

The Tourism Minister has revealed that many airlines from countries like Singapore, Australia, Japan, UAE, and Qatar have expressed desire to resume flights to Bali. He said flights from China to Manado, North Sulawesi are also being prepared and added that the aviation sector and travel agents deemed the route to have great potential

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing is upgrading the infrastructure at the Malalayang Beach area and the Bunaken Ecotourism Village in North Sulawesi province to support tourism development at the Manado-Bitung-Likupang Super Priority Destination. The infrastructure development at Malalayang Beach costs 65.48 billion IDR and includes signs, lookout towers, public restrooms, and landscaping, among others. The project is expected to increase employment in the tourism sector. The project in Ecotourism Village Bunaken costs 23.78 billion IDR and includes the construction of a port, terminals, tourist gallery, and more. Both projects are expected to be completed in early Jul

Communications and Informatics Ministry Official stated that the G20 Presidency has brought benefits to Indonesia in at least 3 aspects: promoting Indonesia to foreign countries, economic recovery and health recovery. He said that the G20 presidency will also benefit MSMEs by hosting exhibitions of Indonesian products at some of the events. Indonesia has prepared at least 419 events comprising 183 main events across 25 cities and 236 side events. The G20 presidency is expected to boost domestic consumption to 7.1 trillion IDR and the GDP to 7.4 trillion IDR

Domestic air travellers will be required to present a valid e-HAC (electronic Health Alert Card) at the departure airport instead of at the destination from 3 Mar, in order to prevent congestion at the destination airport during e-HAC declaration. The e-HAC, previously a stand-alone app, can now be obtained through the PeduliLindungi app

The Tourism Minister has suggested cable cars as one option to prevent the frequent traffic congestion occuring in roads from Jakarta leading to the Puncak Bogor area, while the Deputy for Tourism Products and Activities at the Ministry proposed creating an app for tourist registration. The Minister also urged tourists to find alternative holiday destinations such as nearby tourism villages, The Thousand Islands, or Bogor Botanical Garden, among others

The Tourism Ministry and hospitality tech company OYO have collaborated to launch the Maju Bersama Desa Wisata programme to support the development of tourism villages through digitalisation. OYO will integrate 2 technologies for the tourism villages, namely the OYO OS hotel management system and the Co-OYO that will allow patrons to manage business performance. OYO will also standardise facilities and services at the tourism villages, as well as partner with online travel agents to promote accommodations at the villages. Country Head of OYO Hotels and Homes Indonesia are also optimistic that the number of OYO partners could increase by 50%

AirAsia Group has launched its financial product marketplace AirAsia Money in Indonesia, offering insurance, investment, remittances, and crowdfunding, among others

The Malaysian government has said that is in negotiations with 12 countries to implement Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs): Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Korea and the UK. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that there are 3 phases of negotiations: preliminary (currently with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Vietnam and Thailand); comprehensive (Brunei, Indonesia and Korea) and implementation (Singapore). It noted that these negotiations were “rather slow” due to the uncertainties of the Omicron variant

Indonesia to start the quarantine-free trial programme from 14 Mar in 3 locations: Bali, Batam, and Bintan. Bali was selected as the pilot site due to its rate of second dose vaccination, which is generally higher than other provinces. The quarantine-free policy will be implemented nationwide from 1 Apr if the trial period is deemed successful

The Tourism Minister stated that the government has not ruled out tourists from Russia or Ukraine to enter Indonesia amid the conflict. He said that both Russia and Ukraine are great potential markets for Indonesian tourism, especially Bali. He added that the conflict might affect the tourists in terms of schedule, certainty or security, but he has instructed travel agents to proceed if there are Russian or Ukrainian tourists who want to visit Indonesia. He said that that his team have plans to resume direct flights from Moscow to Bali. Deputy for Tourism Products and Activities at the ministry will prioritise tourism promotion to other countries such as Australia, which is the top market for Bali

Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment revealed that as of 26 Feb, Bali has received around 1,600 visitors since the 4 Feb reopening. He said that half of the visitors opted for the bubble quarantine hotels and that the top source markets include the US, France, Netherlands, Australia, and Russia

Bali Regional Head of the Indonesian Tour Guide Association revealed that foreign language tour guides in Bali are still mostly out of work, and only ~10% of domestic tour guides are regularly taking jobs

Chairman of Nongsa Sensation revealed that 151 Singaporeans have made reservations to stay at Nongsa Sensation, Batam in Mar under the travel bubble scheme

The Borobudur Temple in Magelang received a surge of visitors during the 26-28 Feb long weekend, peaking at 8,500 visitors on 27 Feb. General Manager of the Borobudur Park noted that the Level 3 PPKM in Magelang had caused the visitor numbers to decrease, albeit not significantly. He added that the temple received 6,000-7,000 weekend visitors during Level 1-2 PPKM, while under 6,000 visited during Level 3 PPKM

Waste management in tourism areas, especially in the 5 Super Priority Destinations, requires a “more comprehensive approach” as the waste issues are interrelated across different regions, Director of Tourism and Creative Economy Destination Management at the Tourism Ministry stated. He added that a waste management approach has been successfully implemented in Lake Toba, but it is still questionable whether it can be done in the 4 other Super Priority Destinations. The Tourism Ministry has asked tourism destination managers to form Waste Management Units, and is cooperating with waste banks, waste collectors, and other institutions to tackle the issue. Indonesia was ranked 135 out of 140 countries in terms of environmental sustainability in tourism in the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) report of the World Economic Forum in 2019

Secretary of the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government revealed that only 21,530 tickets for the Mandalika MotoGP have been sold out of the available 60,000 as of 20 Feb. He believes that public interest has been low due to the extra costs that would incur, including the mandatory COVID-19 antigen tests. He said that the province targets 35,000 or 1% of West Nusa Tenggara residents to be able to attend the event

The Tourism Minister believes that cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and the metaverse are innovations that could be utilised to promote Indonesian tourism internationally and support the national economic revival. He said that for example, the public could engage in virtual travelling in the metaverse, buy souvenirs using cryptocurrencies, or transform their metaverse assets into NFTs. He also urged crypto traders to release crypto tokens that can promote Indonesian tourism and said that the ministry will coordinate with other parties to devise policies regarding the matter

Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport to cease operations for a full 24 hours from 6 AM on 3 Mar to 6 AM on 4 Mar for Nyepi, in commemoration of the Saka New Year

Statistics Indonesia reported that in Jan 2022: • Indonesia welcomed 143,744 foreign arrivals, up 13.62% YoY but down 12.15% MoM • Visitors mostly arrived by land with 94,390 travellers, followed by ship with 34,800 and by air at 14,560. The number of air passengers rose by 740.84% YoY but fell 18.17% MoM. Foreign arrivals at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport stood at 14,073, up 1,036.75% YoY • Foreign arrivals were dominated by travellers from East Timor at 53.22% of the total arrivals, followed by Malaysia at 29.21%, China at 2.36%, Papua New Guinea at 2.10%, and the US at 1.22% • The number of arrivals from Africa and Europe rose 305.97% and 239.70% respectively, while arrivals from Southeast Asian countries fell by 4.22% YoY

Statistics Indonesia reported that inflation rate rose 2.06% YoY in Feb, easing slightly from Jan’s 2.18%, while annual core inflation rate rose 2.03% in Feb, the highest since Jul 2020 and up from 1.84% in Jan

Java-Bali PPKM extended until 7 Mar. Jakarta and Bali stay at Level 3

Secretary General of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association reported that hotel occupancy currently stands at 35%. He predicts that tourism will rebound in Q2-Q3 and expects occupancy in Q4 to grow 5-10% from 2021’s 50%

Deputy for Tourism Products and Activities at the Tourism Ministry that the Mandalika MotoGP event can transform Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara into a world-class destination. She said that the event will promote Indonesian tourism, especially for the Mandalika area, and has also spurred tourism development in the area. She added that the development of health and transport facilities, as well as human resource development through training could be great assets for West Nusa Tenggara to become a global destination

Chairperson of the Bali Hotels Association has shown support for the government’s decision to lift quarantine restrictions for foreign arrivals in Bali, although she hopes that written regulations in the forms of a circular or letter of provision will be released soon. Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health stated that the health protocols for quarantine-free international arrivals are still being drafted but added that the protocols might differ from those for regular international arrivals

The Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore is optimistic that the number of Singaporean tourists visiting Lagoi, Bintan under the travel bubble scheme will increase. General Manager of PT Bintan Resort Cakrawala who operates the Lagoi integrated tourism zone believes that it is likely for Singapore to increase the quota of travellers from the current 350 per week, if the bubble does not trigger more COVID-19 cases

Head of Tourism Market Development at the Bali Tourism Office reported that out of Bali’s 1,319 international arrivals in Feb, 366 were Indonesian citizens while the rest were foreigners. Most of the foreigners came from Russia at 122 visitors, followed by Australia at 109. Singapore Airlines reportedly carries 126-130 passengers to Bali per day, although not all are foreign tourists

The Health Ministry reported that the daily case trend continued to decrease in the last week of Feb, declining 7.87% from the previous week as of 26 Feb

Magnitude 6.2 earthquake in West Sumatra left 10 dead, at least 388 injured, and over 13,000 displaced. The earthquake was felt as far as Malaysia and Singapore

Malioboro street in Yogyakarta reported 2,000-3,000 daily visitors during the long weekend of 26-28 Feb. Yogyakarta Train Station reported 4,545 arrivals on 25 Feb and 5,018 on 26 Feb, with 5,571 departing from Yogyakarta on 28 Feb

Deputy of Marketing for the Tourism Ministry stated that a familiarisation trip for the Batam Bintan-Singapore Travel Bubble was held on 23-25 Feb in Nongsa, Batam for Singaporean press and travel agents. She added that the famtrip participants noted points of evaluation in the travel bubble, including fixing the unavailability of the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal as the departure point in the PeduliLindungi app, adding more PCR test counters, and providing free wifi in the port. A total of 37 travellers from Singapore entered Batam on 23-25 Feb, with 13 scheduled to enter on 26 Feb. 90 travellers were also scheduled to enter Bintan on 26 Feb

Singapore travel agents optimistic at the prospects of the Batam Bintan-Singapore Travel Bubble and expect high interest from Singaporean travellers due to the destination’s close proximity and the change of scenery from Singapore. Travel agents are also planning to offer all-inclusive packages which will bundle resort packages with meals, activities and tours, ferry tickets, and on-arrival/pre-departure PCR tests. Bintan’s resorts are also optimistic about the travel bubble, with Banyan Tree Bintan noting that bookings for Mar have increased and that they will partner with travel agents to attract Singaporean tourists. Bintan Resorts Group is also implementing SG Clean protocols as they “wanted to go a step beyond”, since most of their guests are Singaporeans, the Group General Manager said

Deputy Chair of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association Bali Chapter believes that the lifting of quarantine restrictions in Bali can raise hotel occupancy to 30-40% by end-Feb, from the current 20% which is still far below the break event point. He said that according to inbound travel agents, foreign tourists were hesitant to visit Bali due to quarantine restrictions and thus would prefer quarantine-free destinations like Thailand. He is optimistic that the removal of quarantine policy in Bali would spur economic revival, predicting that Bali’s economy will rebound to 100% in 2023 after the G20. He said that tourism players are now stepping up promotion to markets with large tourist potentials by holding webinars with overseas partners

The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment has said that the government will implement a 3-day quarantine for all foreign travellers who are fully vaccinated and have received their booster shot from 1 Mar, and will conduct a trial to allow entry to Bali without quarantine from 14 Mar, subject to various conditions. This date could be accelerated should the case numbers improve

PPKM outside Java-Bali extended until 14 Mar

President Jokowi has decided to reduce the maximum number of Mandalika MotoGP spectators from 100,000 people to 60,000 in consideration of the current COVID-19 situation and vaccination rate in West Nusa Tenggara. The province now has 3,200 active cases and has reached 65.3% full vaccination rate, while booster vaccination rate only reached 2.6%

The Health Minister revealed that Indonesia is devising a strategy to transition into a COVID-19 endemic status

Tourism Minister lauds Indometa’s efforts to promote tourism through nonfungible tokens (NFT) and hopes digitalisation in the tourism sector can create more economic and employment opportunities online. Indometa also plans to launch Interactive NFTs, a new innovation to promote tourism by boosting public participation in the digital era. Co-Founder of Indometa hopes the platform can become a one-stop solution for tourists to gain information on travel routes or plans. He said that Indometa has an interactive map concept consisting of 100,000 hexagonal pixels, of which each pixel can be bought by the public for 100,000 IDR in NFT form

Indonesia to implement bubble system for G20 meetings in Bali, with participants divided into 4 bubbles: Delegates and their entourage and VVIPs in Bubble 1, guests and journalists in Bubble 2, officials and organising committee in Bubble 3, and supporting personnel such as technicians in Bubble 4. The bubble will separate G20 participants from the public at hotels, venues, and other supporting facilities. Indonesia has also announced that the G20 Summit will be postponed to 15-16 Nov, instead of Oct as originally planned

Domestic tourists will now be required to take COVID-19 tests to enter Lagoi, Bintan amid rising Omicron cases and the launch of the travel bubble with Singapore. Those who are entering Lagoi for a day trip are required to undergo an ART, while those staying overnight are required to undergo a PCR test 3x24 hours ahead of arrival

President Director of Angkasa Pura I confirmed that as of 24 Feb, 5 airlines have been granted permission to operate in Bali, including Jetstar Asia, Scoot, and KLM with the Singapore-Denpasar route, Garuda Indonesia with Sydney-Denpasar route, and AirAsia with Kuala Lumpur-Denpasar route. Jetstar is in the process of route reactivation for Mar with Sydney-Denpasar and Melbourne-Denpasar routes. As of 24 Feb, Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport has served 1,784 passengers across 51 international flights since they resumed on 1 Feb

The Health Ministry has announced that COVID-19 patients can now self-isolate for 7 days instead of 10, provided they tested negative with a PCR test on the 6th day, which will restore their status on the PeduliLindungi app to “green” (safe). Those who do not take a PCR test on the 6th day will be categorised as “green” after 10 days of isolation

The Yogyakarta Municipal Public Order Security Agency has prepared several measures to prepare for potential tourist surge on the upcoming long weekend due to the Isra Mi’raj holiday on 28 Feb, including monitoring the use of the PeduliLindungi app at hotels, restaurants and other establishments, as well as routine patrols around tourist areas and random screenings of tourists’ vaccination status

Deputy Chair of the COVID-19 Handling Committee said that the quarantine requirement in Bali could be lifted entirely depending on whether the case count continues to decrease in the next 2 weeks and whether the vaccination rate has fulfilled WHO’s standard. He also proposed to restore the visa on arrival policy and remove the sponsor requirement for visa applications

Google Year in Search 2021 Report for Indonesia revealed that domestic travel demand grew 30% YoY in Nov 2021, reaching pre-pandemic levels. Bandung was the most popular domestic destination in Sep-Dec 2021, followed by Yogyakarta, Cisarua, Semarang, Batu, Surakarta, Lembang, Citereup, Kuta, and Cirebon in the top 10. Searches for “domestic travel” grew, and searches for “family road trip” increased 3-fold. Searches for “car rentals” grew 23% in 2021, after previously dropping by 68% in 2020. Searches for “virtual tour” grew 108%, while “staycation” grew 85%. Searches for outbound travel is still far below pre-pandemic level and was less than 1% of domestic travel searches. The figure was lower compared to Singapore’s 15%. Interest in international travel started to increase in Q4 2021, with “flight requirement” searches increasing 6-fold, and “Indonesia quarantine” and “travel requirement” each growing 3-fold. Survey has also shown that 81% of Indonesian respondents want to travel abroad and stay for 5 days or more

Head of the Badung Industry and Manpower Office reported that no businesses has reported re-employment of their employees who were laid off due to the pandemic one month into Bali reopening. 1,755 workers have reportedly been laid off due to pandemic-related reasons as of 22 Feb, up 467 people from 1,288 in Aug 2021. He added that post-pandemic economic recovery is expected to be slow, especially in the tourism sector since it comprises 60% of the workforce in Badung regency. He said the province is encouraging former tourism workers to try their hand in MSMEs, although he admitted that it would require lots of training and adjustments

Head of the Riau Tourism Department revealed that around 800 travellers from Singapore have booked tickets under the Batam Bintan-Singapore Travel Bubble, with 300 departing for Batam and 500 for Bintan. 26 Singaporeans arrived in Batam on 23 Feb, comprising mostly travel agents and press. Another 70 Singaporean visitors are scheduled to arrive in Batam on 25 Feb

Bali Governor and the Tourism Minister have agreed to push for the lifting of the visa on arrival policy suspension. The Minister also said that the governor’s proposal to revoke quarantine requirements will have to depend on the development of cases in the following week and whether it would continue to decrease. Bali Governor noted that only 1 out of 150 passengers that arrived in Bali recently has tested positive for COVID-19

Hilton to open Southeast Asia’s first LXR resort in Uluwatu, Bali in late-2022. The resort will offer 72 suites and villas and will provide “unique, immersive experiences defined by the local cultures and traditions”, in line with the core values of the LXR brand

Finance Minister has announced that VAT will increase from 10% to 11% from 1 Apr, then further to 12% by 2025

The Tourism Ministry has allocated 5.5 billion IDR worth of Special Purpose Fund (DAK) for the Jembrana regency in Bali. Of those, 4.5 billion will be used for the development of an All in One circuit. The Tourism Minister reminded that the development of the circuit should focus on quality and sustainability, and that it should benefit the local community and provide employment opportunities. The Jembrana Regent said that the circuit can be a multipurpose venue to hold various art and cultural events, including festivals and horse racings, as well as religious gatherings. He hopes that the constructions could be completed in 2022

Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force stated that tightening the screening and testing regulations for foreign tourists to prevent imported cases is one of the strategies to suppress the spread of COVID-19 cases in regions outside of Java-Bali. He added that adjusting PPKM levels is another strategy that the government has implemented. Cases outside of Java-Bali have reportedly increased by 300%

Chief Marketing Officer of Traveloka predicts that staycations and workations will remain a popular holiday trend in 2022, driven by the public’s awareness to maintain their mental health amid various pandemic restrictions. Staycation searches on search engines have also increased 10-fold compared to pre-pandemic. Traveloka has launched the Holiday Stays feature in Q4 2021, where users can search for non-hotel accommodation including resorts, villas, and glamping. Nature-based destinations, such as mountains or beaches, are reportedly popular for Southeast Asians

West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government has capped accommodation prices in the area ahead of Mandalika MotoGP. The regulation stated that price limits are set according to zones, with accommodations in the zone where the event is held allowed to increase room rates by 3-fold, accommodations in the outer zone by 2-fold, and accommodations in the outermost zone by 1-fold. Head of the West Nusa Tenggara Tourism Department said that the regulation does not set a specific price limit as it is the accommodation’s right to decide the room rates

Indonesia recorded 61,488 new cases, up from 57,491 the previous day

The Bali Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights has conducted an investigation into several travel agents in an alleged “visa mafia” case, in which travel agents hike up prices in visa application services for foreigners seeking to obtain visas to enter Indonesia

Resorts, villas, and restaurants in the Nusa Lembongan area in Klungkung regency, Bali have started to reopen as international tourists return, including the Mahagiri Resort that had reopened on 1 Feb after 2 years of closure

The Tourism Ministry believes that the development of sustainable and community-based tourism has a key role in the economic recovery efforts as well as creating job opportunities. He stated that sustainable tourism is the main concept and value of Indonesia’s tourism development, and that the community-based tourism concept has been realised through the ministry’s tourism village programme. He added that tourism development needs to be backed by strategic policies from stakeholders. Secretary of the Tourism Ministry noted that tourism is a key factor in achieving sustainable and inclusive development, which is in line with the tourism sector’s goal of distributing spatial development to remote areas

West Nusa Tenggara Tourism Department revealed that only 75% or 17,833 rooms out of the available 23,889 rooms in the area are in operation and ready to welcome Mandalika MotoGP guests. The remaining 25% are not yet in operation due to repairs and maintenance. The available rooms comprise of 7,816 rooms at starred and non-starred hotels, 1,659 rooms at hostels, as well as 1,025 villas, 1,030 bungalows, 3,060 homestays, 245 apartment units, 2,600 camping tents, and 398 Tourism Residential Facilities (Sarhunta). Of those, 55% or 9,855 rooms have been booked

Head of the Karangasem Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association revealed that around 1,000 people have reserved MotoGP tour packages with Bali travel agents, filling approximately 500 hotel rooms. He reported that most tourists have chosen to stay in the Candidasa and Padangbai areas, which are closest to the crossing point to Lombok. He admitted that the most of the reservations are still temporary and predicts that domestic tourists might wait until a week or two ahead of the event before finalising their bookings

The Tourism Ministry to design a blueprint for a tourism development programme at the prospective new capital city location over the next three months, followed by the development of a master plan. The Tourism Minister stated that a design and budget scheme based on ecotourism will be prepared, adding that the new capital city location in East Kalimantan has cultural attractions, nature, and manmade-based nature tourism that would add to the “green capital” concept

Head of the Indonesia Motor Association (IMI) for Bali has announced plans to build a motocross racing circuit in Northern Bali by 2023. Head of the Indonesian Sports Committee for Bali noted that IMI has the potential to cultivate sports tourism in Bali. Bali Vice Governor hopes the development of automotive events and activities in Bali can help with the island’s economic recovery

Indonesian Event Industry Council Survey has shown that: • 35.64% of the event industry actors want the PPKM restrictions to be lifted as soon as possible • 15.13% of the event industry actors asked for tax relief, 14.36% asked for low-interest business capital loans, and 5.64% asked for social assistance • 29.23% want the government to give opportunities for employment in government events. In 2021, 35.46% of events were by ministries or state institutions, • 17.93% were by state-owned or municipally-owned businesses, 16.73% by corporations, 13.55% by individuals, 11.16% by associations or organisations, and 5.18% were self-created events

Jakarta to reduce minimum daily testing quota from 21,285 people tested per day to 15,283 due to a decrease in new and active cases. Suspects and contacts of confirmed cases are the main targets of the testing. The Jakarta Provincial Government revealed that the positivity rate in Jakarta has decreased to 17% as of 21 Feb, down from 22.2% the previous week. The number of PCR tests administered reached 362,314, up from last week’s 360,202. Instructions from the Home Affairs Ministry stated that minimum daily testing requirements should follow the positivity rate as follows: • Positivity rate less than 5%, one person tested per 1,000 population per week • Positivity rate from 5%-15%, 5 people tested per 1,000 population per week • Positivity rate from 15%-25%, 10 people tested per 1,000 population per week • Positivity rate above 25%, 15 people tested per 1,000 population per week

4 cities in Java have been downgraded to PPKM Level 4: Cirebon, Magelang, Tegal, and Madiun. Capacity restrictions will be imposed, including 25% at offices; 50% at non-quarantine hotels and 25% for its facilities such as ballrooms or gym; 50% at F&B establishments, supermarkets, and shopping centres; 35% at entertainment venues; 25% at cinemas, fitness centres, and gyms; 25% of venue capacity and no meals for wedding receptions

Java-Bali PPKM extended until 28 Feb. Jakarta and Bali stay at Level 3

Bali’s Deputy Governor informed that foreign visitors will be offered two hotel quarantine options, with a bubble and a non-bubble system. Hotel quarantine with a bubble system allows guests to roam the hotel premises, while a non-bubble system would limit guests to their rooms. Bali currently has 65 quarantine hotels, in which 27 of them are implementing the bubble system. The Bali provincial government is also accelerating vaccination programme for tourism workers and has prepared standard operating procedures to welcome foreign tourists, while Bali’s COVID-19 Handling Task Force is collaborating with authorities and tourism stakeholders to promote the use of the PeduliLindungi app at tourism facilities

The Tourism Minister revealed that the government is reviewing and drafting a quarantine-free travel policy for foreign tourists, with expectations to implement it in Apr

992 international visitors has arrived at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport between 1-20 Feb via Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines flights

The Tourism Minister has warned tourists to be cautious about purchasing tour packages with “unrealistically” low prices, especially those being offered on digital platforms, following reports of foreign tourists being allegedly scammed by a tour operator on their trip to Labuan Bajo. He reminded tourists to check and book with the official listed travel agents. He also asked travel associations like the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) to provide guidance and supervision for its members to prevent disgraceful practices that could damage the image of Indonesian tourism

The government believes that at least 5 provinces - Jakarta, Bali, Banten, Maluku, and West Nusa Tenggara - have passed the peak of the latest COVID-19 wave as cases start to decrease. Indonesia recorded 34,418 new cases on 20 Feb, down by nearly 10,000 from the previous day. The highest daily tally was recorded on 16 Feb with 64,718 cases

Club Med Bintan to reopen on 8 Mar following the establishment of the Batam Bintan-Singapore Travel Bubble. Club Med CEO for East and South Asia & Pacific Markets revealed that web traffic from Singaporean travellers increased 83% while resort bookings increased 4-fold within 3 days since the announcement of the travel bubble

Deputy Chair of the COVID-19 Handling Committee stated that Indonesia’s transition from the pandemic to the endemic stage must be approached cautiously, with consideration given to health indicator data, economic status, and other factors. He said that the government will continue to monitor the preconditions for the endemic stage, including high immunity rate, low case count per WHO indicators, and sufficient health facilities. He added that those preconditions must have continued for a long time and have reached a stable condition. The government will also increase efforts in boosting second dose and booster vaccination coverage to expedite the transition to the endemic stage

The Bau Nyale Festival was held in West Nusa Tenggara as part of the calendar of events ahead of Mandalika MotoGP. The Tourism Minister urged the local community to take part in these various events as well as upcoming events that will be held in the area, including the G20 events. He also urged the provincial government to focus on the events to encourage tourism development and boost the local economy

The West Nusa Tenggara Governor has asked regional authorities to facilitate and support West Nusa Tenggara residents who want to purchase MotoGP tickets up until 14 Mar. West Nusa Tenggara residents will also receive a 10% discount on ticket prices

The Tourism Ministry has signed a cooperative agreement with Dorna Sports to confirm Indonesia as the owner of rights to the 2022 Mandalika MotoGP event. The cooperation aims to greatly contribute to the tourism and creative economy sector in Indonesia, as well as help boost national economic revival

The Tourism Ministry hopes that The L’Etape Indonesia by Tour de France bike race held in Mandalika can encourage the growth of sport tourism in Indonesia, especially in Mandalika. He noted that this event is also part of the preparation for the Mandalika MotoGP

State-Owned Enterprises Minister urged the development of tourist facilities for domestic tourists and noted that most developments nowadays are more focused on improving facilities for foreign tourists. He added that domestic tourists spend more on tourism-related transactions with potentials reaching 1,400 trillion IDR while foreign tourists’ potentials only reach 300 trillion IDR

The Tourism Minister and the West Nusa Tenggara provincial government to launch a tour package including MotoGP tickets, accommodation at Gili Tramena, food and beverage, as well as boat and bus shuttles, priced at 1.5 million IDR. The package aims to maximise occupancy at 98 Tourism Residential Facilities (Sarhunta) and 6,000 available rooms

The Tourism Ministry has launched 3 flagship programmes in 2022 to support and accelerate the revival of the tourism and creative economy sectors: Creative City/Districts (KATA Kreatif), Appreciation for Indonesian Creation (AKI), and Indonesia Tourism Village Award (ADWI)

Bali Governor condemns travel agents and operators who exploit travel restrictions by marking up quarantine or visa application fees and pocketing the difference. The Bali provincial government has forwarded the list of suspected exploiters to the authorities for further investigation

The national police has investigated 12 hotels that are allegedly involved in the “quarantine mafia” scams. Data from the COVID-19 Task Force has shown that over 2,700 people who tested negative on arrival in Jakarta returned positive results at the end of their quarantine period, requiring them to move to “isolation hotels” where they have to pay all fees for the extended stay. The Quarantine Hotel Coordinator at the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association has denied all allegations of scams in the quarantine hotels and claims that the foreigners’ experiences might have been due to “miscommunication”

Batam Mayor has proposed to the central government to alter the Batam Bintan-Singapore Travel Bubble into something akin to Singapore’s VTL-Sea model, in which tourists are not limited to specific areas and free to explore other areas in the region

Jakarta’s Department of Transport has decided to revoke the odd-even licence plate regulation on roads leading to tourist attractions at PPKM Level 3 areas, including the Ancol Dreamland Park area, the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah area, and the Ragunan Zoo area

Indonesia recorded 64,718 new COVID-19 cases on 16 Feb, surpassing the 2021 peak of 56,757 daily cases. The weekly cases on 11-17 Feb reached 362,448 cases, up from the previous week’s 253,071 cases. The total cumulative cases in Indonesia has surpassed 5 million since the first case was recorded in Mar 2020

The Tourism Ministry has launched the 2022 Indonesia Tourism Village Award Program, targeting the participation of 3,000 tourism villages. The villages will be evaluated in 7 categories including visitor attractions, homestays, souvenirs, digital and creative, facilities for visitors’ comfort, CHSE, and tourism village institution. 1,831 villages or 25% of Indonesia’s 7,275 tourism villages registered for the 2021 award program, exceeding the ministry’s target of 10%

Bali Governor has asked the central government to remove quarantine requirements for tourists entering Bali, ideally in early Mar, as cases in the island have started to decrease and 90% of patients have no or mild symptoms

Indonesian citizens returning from abroad can receive quarantine exemption under emergency situations, including life-threatening situations, seeking special healthcare treatments, and attending funerals of relatives, by submitting a letter to the COVID-19 task force and presenting proof of negative COVID-19 test upon arrival

The number of Mandalika MotoGP spectators is expected to reach 63,698 people. The Transport Minister has prepared 278 buses for transport to and around the Mandalika Circuit, with daily passenger count expected to reach 30,975

Head of the Badung chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association informed that hotel occupancy rate in Bali remains at around 15-20%, and many hotels only retain 30% of their employees for efficiency. He added that 30% of hotels, mostly 3-star and below, or around 1,500 out of 5,000 hotels in Bali are still closed for operations. At least 844 hotels are being sold on e-commerce site Lamudi, ranging from 2-star to 5-star hotels across many regions

B2B hospitality marketplace MG Group has partnered with airasia Super App, which will allow the Super App customers to access over 350,000 properties and alternative accommodation on the MG Platform

Stakeholder Relations Manager of Angkasa Pura I for Bali Airport expressed confidence in providing services for incoming international travellers after improvements have been made following the evaluation of the arrival/departure flow of travellers from Japan on 3 and 10 Feb. Holding area for travellers waiting for the PCR test results has been removed and tourists can now be transported to hotels straightaway

Singapore to launch Sea-VTL with Batam and Bintan from 25 Feb, with vaccinated travel pass application opening on 22 Feb. A quota of 700 travellers per week will be set, 350 each from Batam’s Nongsapura terminal and Bintan’s Bandar Bintan Telani terminal to Singapore’s Tanah Merah terminal. The ferries will be operated by Batam Fast and Bintan Resort ferries

Singapore Airlines has resumed its direct Singapore-Bali route after nearly 2 years, running 7 return flights a week, which would be adjusted according to demand. The first flight from Singapore to Bali carried 156 passengers, comprising 109 foreign tourists and 47 Indonesian passengers, while the return flight from Bali to Singapore carried 83 passengers, which were mostly Indonesians

The COVID-19 Handling Task Force has released a new quarantine guideline for international travellers: • Travellers who have received the first dose of vaccine are required to quarantine for 7x24 hours, with a second PCR test conducted on the 6th day • Travellers who have received the first and second dose are required to quarantine for 5x24 hours, with a second PCR test conducted on the 4th day • Travellers who have received primary vaccinations and booster dose are required to quarantine for 3x24 hours, with a second PCR test conducted on the 3rd day

The government predicts that Indonesia’s economy will grow 5.3-5.9% in 2023, up from the 2022 target of 5.2%

The Directorate General of Air Transport at the Transport Ministry has prepared Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport as a backup airport to serve MotoGP spectators and tourists, should the Lombok Airport reach peak capacity. The ministry has prepared a mobility management scheme in which flights carrying MotoGP spectators will stop over at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta or Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport before continuing to Lombok to prevent mobility issues

The Directorate General of Sea Transport at the Transport Ministry informed that 4 sea routes have been prepared for MotoGP spectators, connecting Lembar’s Gilimas Passenger Terminal with Surabaya, Tanjung Wangi, and Bali, as well as with Bima and Waingapu in West and East Nusa Tenggara respectively. The Transport Ministry will also prepare a ship operation plan for Lembar Port including 2 ferries, 2 passenger ships, and 2 tourism boats. 3 ships will also be provided as floating accommodations, with a capacity of 1,398 beds, 1,898 beds, and 600 beds

The Tourism Ministry held a tourism attraction management training in Manado, North Sulawesi to prepare human resources and support the development of the Likupang-Manado Super Priority Tourism Destination. The Tourism Minister hopes the training could facilitate economic revival in the area and create more jobs

The Ministry of Health revealed that 98% of active COVID-19 cases over the last 30 days are of the Omicron variant

The Transport Ministry has allocated 21.2 billion IDR to support transportation and road safety facilities in the Mandalika MotoGP event. The fund will be utilised to prepare bus services, building additional bus stops, and installing street lights, among others

The Tourism Minister carried out an inspection of the construction of the Manado State Tourism Polytechnic in North Sulawesi. He stated that human resource development must continue amid pandemic recovery efforts, adding that these human resources need to have skills that could accommodate the “new era of tourism” of nature and culture-based sustainable tourism. The new polytechnic will accommodate 2,500 students and the development will be supervised by the Bali Tourism Polytechnic

Sabang City in Aceh Province plans to develop hospitals targeted for medical tourism in the future, modelling the concept of Penang in Malaysia

First Singapore-Batam ferry carrying passengers under the Batam Bintan-Singapore Travel Bubble to depart from Singapore’s Tanah Merah terminal and arrive at Batam’s Nongsapura terminal on 18 Feb. The ferry will run one return trip per day at a max. 50% capacity of 120 passengers

The United States’ CDC has placed Indonesia in Level 4: Very High Risk, on its Travel Recommendation list

Secretary of the G20 Finance Track Logistics Working Group informed that delegates participating in a series of meetings and activities on 15-18 Feb had arrived on 12 Feb. All delegates are required to comply with the travel bubble policy, and could leave the bubble after the meetings are over and the quarantine period has passed. A total of 389 delegates will attend the hybrid meeting, with 214 attending in person at Jakarta Convention Centre and 175 attending virtually

Garuda Indonesia and Marriott International have announced a new partnership that offers special rates and benefits for Garuda’s passengers that stay at participating Marriott properties in Indonesia. Garuda Indonesia’s Director of Services and Commercial stated that the collaboration is in line with the airline’s commitment to support domestic tourism recovery amid the pandemic

The Indonesian Travel Agents Association (ASTINDO) is optimistic that tourist visits to Labuan Bajo will grow with the series of events that will be held in the region, including G20 side events and the 2023 ASEAN Summit. Head of the Labuan Bajo chapter of the association added that several other factors contributed to the optimism including the expansion of the Labuan Bajo International Airport, the government’s plan to build an international port, and the MICE development at the Tana Mori area that could spur tour operators to start businesses there

Thousands of hotel rooms have been booked in Bali ahead of the Mandalika MotoGP event, according to the Bali Governor. He also revealed that many family and colleagues of the MotoGP racers have also chosen to stay in Bali and will commute back-and-forth to Lombok for the event

The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) and MotoGP operators have agreed to repave parts of the Mandalika Circuit ahead of the race in Mar after problems were found during the pre-season test

Minister of Communication and Informatics informed that Mandalika MotoGP spectators will be able to enjoy 5G mobile network services at the circuit and hotels. He confirmed that a trial has been done to ensure that the 5G technology is safe to use and will not disrupt satellite services in the region

West Java Governor announced a target of 36-40 million tourist arrivals to the province in 2022. He hopes tourism arrivals can continue to rise to 2018 level, where arrivals peaked at around 60 million

Director of the Batam Tourism and Promotion Board revealed that Batam receives less than 200 visitors monthly during the pandemic, down from the average of 150,000 international visitors per month pre-pandemic. In 2019, the Riau Islands was ranked 2nd only to Bali as Indonesia’s most visited destination for foreign tourists with over 2.5 million visitors, in which 1.9 million visited Batam, mostly coming from Singapore and Malaysia

Java-Bali PPKM extended until 21 Feb. Jakarta and Bali stays at Level 3

Indonesia to reduce the quarantine period for international travellers who have received booster shots from 5 to 3 days starting next week, Deputy Chair of the COVID-19 Handling Committee announced. The government plans to expand the 3-day quarantine to all international travellers regardless of booster vaccination status from 1 Mar and to erase the quarantine requirement completely from 1 Apr, if the COVID-19 situation improves

Travel agencies are reportedly not satisfied with Bali’s Bubble Quarantine Policy for international tourists. Top Indonesia Holidays’ Managing Director noted that many clients have chosen destinations with no quarantine requirements over Bali, such as the Philippines or Maldives. Panorama Destination’s Director of Business Development believes the increased travel costs due to quarantine makes Indonesia less competitive as a destination compared to those without compulsory quarantine. Aneka Kartika Tours’ Operations Manager also hopes the visa-on-arrival policy can be resumed, at least for ASEAN countries

Indonesia has increased the maximum capacity for offices and tourism attractions from 25% to 50% for areas under the PPKM Level 3 to prevent further negative effects on the economy caused by the strict restrictions

PPKM outside of Java-Bali extended until 28 Feb. Chairman of the COVID-19 Handling Committee announced that 118 cities/regencies have been assigned a Level 3, up from only 14 in the last extension

Director General of Civil Aviation at the Transport Ministry revealed that they have received 2 trillion IDR worth of State Sharia Securities fund to execute “strategic activities” in 16 locations, including the construction of airports to increase domestic air connectivity

Head of the West Nusa Tenggara Tourism Agency said that the MotoGP racers travelling in the bubble areas and promoting the destination is a “blessing” for the tourism sector in the province. He added that the pre-season test has also brought positive impact for economic growth in the area

The Tourism Minister said that the G20 Tourism Working Group will promote tourism resilience and focus on empowering the community through MSME development and community-based tourism such as tourism villages. He also noted that his ministry will prioritise innovation, adaptation, and collaboration in accommodating the shifting tourism trends and focus on quality tourism with a “customise, localise, personalise, and smaller in size” concept. The tourism industry will also emphasise sustainability with ecotourism principles, as well as the development and increased capacity of human resources

Tourism Minister revealed that the MotoGP pre-season test has created 11,000 jobs. He expects the event to contribute 500 billion IDR to the economy and create 50,000 jobs. He believes that the event will create a sustainable impact on the tourism sector and will bring benefit not only to Lombok but also the surrounding regions. The Mandalika Special Economic Zone will also host a G20 side event on sustainable tourism development

Garuda Indonesia ranks first in Indonesia in YouGov’s Travel & Tourism Rankings 2022. Citilink is in 2nd, while Singapore Airlines is in 10th place. Aston Hotel, JW Marriott, Ibis Hotel, Ritz-Carlton, Grand Hyatt, Shangri-La, and Sheraton occupied 3rd-9th places respectively

First side event for G20’s Women20 Engagement Group to be held on 14-16 Feb in Likupang, one of the Five Super Priority Tourist Destinations. W20’s Chairperson hopes the event could promote Likupang as a leading tourism destination to the global community. Other side events of the W20 will be held in Batu, Banjarmasin, Manokwari, Lake Toba, and Bali throughout the year

The Tourism Ministry to focus on “5 Line of Actions” in the G20 Tourism Working Group: Human Resource Development; Innovation Through Digitization; Empowerment of Women and Young Generation; Rehabilitation, Conservation, and Preservation of Environment; as well as Investment in Tourism and Digital Sector. The Tourism Minister explained that the working group will be an “extraordinary opportunity” to showcase Indonesia’s capabilities as a problem solver in the tourism industry through experiences in handling the pandemic

The Tourism Ministry has prepared Tourism Residential Facilities (Sarhunta) as one of the accommodation options for Mandalika MotoGP tourists. The ministry also provided the Sarhunta operators with hospitality and room management training ahead of the event. The Tourism Minister said that he hopes tourists would choose to stay at Sarhunta as they offer more experience while still upholding an excellent service for the guests

Tourism Minister revealed that the 6 foreign nationals who arrived in Bali on 3 Feb are Japanese travel agents with a business in Bali that mostly targets the Japanese market. Their trip was supported by the Tourism Ministry and other parties, including round-trip air tickets provided by Garuda Indonesia, land transport provided by the Bali Tourism Board, a price reduction in the Warm Up Vacation quarantine package from the Grand Hyatt Nusa Dua Hotel, as well as a complimentary 2-night stay from the Four Season Resort Bali following the end of their quarantine. The Tourism Minister believes that the collaboration and synergy between tourism stakeholders and ministries can bring benefits for Indonesia’s economic revival

Indonesia recorded 40,489 new COVID-19 cases. Jakarta had the highest number of cases at 10,707

Riau is boosting close contact tracing amid a spike in COVID-19 cases to remain in PPKM Level 1 and prevent a rise in the level, Head of the Riau Islands Health Office announced. He noted that the PPKM level in Jakarta and Java has been raised due to a lack of contact tracing. Riau has recorded 174 Omicron cases, and he predicts that Omicron will account for 70% of the COVID-19 cases in the islands by end-Feb or early-Mar

Indonesian Central Statistics Agency data has shown that 26.74% of Bali’s accommodation and F&B establishments have restarted their businesses after previously suspending operations due to the pandemic. The accommodation and F&B sectors contributed 16.49% of Bali’s total GRDP in Q4 2021

Gianyar regency in Bali to undergo a megaproject worth 34.4 trillion IDR, funded by the state budget, as part of the National Tourism Strategic Areas development project. The Ubud area in the regency will undergo major restructuring as the central government deemed the area to have reached a saturation point in terms of development. Pedestrian and road facilities will be developed in Ubud to resolve the current traffic jam issue, including the construction of parking spaces and the widening of the sidewalks. Hotels and tourism facilities will be developed in the Tegalalang and Payangan areas. Electric bus facilities will also be developed in all three areas

Head of the Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Policy Agency said that the MotoGP travel bubble policy could encourage economic growth in the area. He said that a travel bubble could be a way to boost travel activities, not only for tourists but also for business travellers

The Tourism Minister revealed that his ministry is mapping and identifying available accommodations for the upcoming Mandalika MotoGP event. He revealed that 24-30,000 rooms are available and that the occupancy rate is still at 50%

8 out of 9 sub-districts on the main island of Batam have been declared “red zones” of COVID-19 risk, including the Nongsa area

Hong Kong-based Red Planet Holdings has sold its entire stake in budget hotel operator Red Planet Indonesia. CFO at Red Planet Indonesia affirmed that the company is still a part of the Red Planet global chain. Hotels under Red Planet Indonesia are still operating

Capital A (previously AirAsia Group) has partnered with thousands of F&B merchants as it prepares to launch AirAsia Food in Indonesia, though no launch date has been released yet

West Lombok District Tourism Department reported that 2,000 hotel rooms in the Senggigi area, located one and a half hour away from Mandalika, are already fully booked around the date of the MotoGP event. The tourism department is also preparing to turn locals’ homes into temporary homestays for the event

The Tourism Ministry and Hospitality operators in Batam and Bintan expressed readiness for a bilateral travel bubble with Singapore. Group General Manager of Bintan Resort Cakrawala said that the Bintan Beach International Resort has an in-house lab that can process guests’ PCR tests within an hour and added that their staff are 98% fully vaccinated and have been certified under Indonesia’s CHSE and Singapore’s CovSafeSG. Deputy of Marketing for the Tourism Ministry revealed that bookings for the Batam Bintan-Singapore travel bubble surged within minutes of its announcement but has been since withdrawn due to the lack of clarity and approval from the Singapore government to operate the ferries to and from Singapore

Denpasar City Government officials are inspecting pandemic prevention protocols in accommodation in the area, including the utilisation of the PeduliLindungi app, temperature checking and sanitation protocols. Regular operations will also be held to ensure compliance with the 9 PM curfew for businesses and the mask-wearing policy in public areas

Pertamina has signed an agreement with Dorna Sports to be the commercial rights holder of MotoGP, setting the official name of the Mandalika MotoGP event to Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia. Pertamina’s President Director hopes the cooperation would bring benefit to Pertamina, as well as state-owned enterprises and MSMEs in Mandalika in penetrating the global market

The government to prepare policies and incentives with a 4.5 trillion IDR budget to accelerate economic recovery in the tourism sector, the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs announced. 3.99 trillion IDR will also be allocated to encourage tourism activities, such as the G20 Summit or the Superbike Mandalika

Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs stated that unilateral and bilateral tourism developments are in pilot stages, including the Batam Bintan-Singapore Travel Bubble. He hopes that in 2 weeks time, the number of ferries in Batam and Bintan could be increased and a VTL-based arrangement in which Singaporean visitors are not required to quarantine upon return could be implemented

Tourism Holding InJourney’s President Director predicts that Indonesian tourism will pick up in 2023, and that a series of events has been prepared to drive traffic to Indonesia. He added that events will be the core of tourism revival, which will drive demands and increase hotel occupancy as well

The Indonesian Motor Association (IMI) has prepared 2 ships for the Mandalika MotoGP, including a Ro-Ro premium ship which will act as a “floating accommodation” with a capacity of 600 passengers. IMI will offer a 4D3N MotoGP Cruise package which will also include MotoGP tickets and land transportation to the venue. The other will be a fast boat with a capacity of 150 passengers that would take visitors from Bali to Lombok in 80-90 minutes. IMI will offer the Mandalika ‘N Beyond 4D3N package with accommodations located in Candidasa, Bali

Traveloka’s VP of Commercial informed that cleanliness and discounts or promotions are major factors that influence customers in booking accommodation during the pandemic. He also revealed that in-city staycation searches on Traveloka’s platform increased 220% compared to pre-pandemic. Traffic on Traveloka Xperience increased 170% during promotion periods, while bookings with Xperience partners increased 250%

The ISSF (International Shooting Sport Federation) Grand Prix Rifle/Pistol to be held in Jakarta from 8-18 Feb, attended by 138 athletes, including 90 foreign athletes from 5 countries. Indonesia will bid to host the World Cup Rifle/Pistol 2023

Chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association expects tourism to rebound in Q2, based on government’s forecasts that the COVID-19 wave would subside in Mar and that PPKM would be down to Level 1 by Apr. He expects a 25-30% hotel occupancy rate in Q1, before rising to 40-50% in Q2. The association has also proposed lowering interest rates and facilitating debt-for-equity swaps to help alleviate its members’ debts following the Financial Services Authority’s decision to extend its loan restructuring programme to Mar 2023

Statistics Indonesia reported that foreign tourist arrivals in 2021 dropped 61.57% YoY to 1.56 million

MotoGP participants have started to arrive at Lombok Airport for the pre-season test. 2 charter flights from Malaysia carrying 248 and 235 passengers respectively were the first to arrive on 7 Feb

West Nusa Tenggara’s Law and Human Rights Ministry Office to provide immigration information facilities for foreign tourists and event participants at the Mandalika Circuit. Officers in the centre will provide information, respond to enquiries, and help foreign nationals that have to complete their immigration administration formalities. Authorities will also conduct supervision on foreign nationals and where they are staying. Latest 2021 data showed around 6,000 foreign nationals living in Lombok island, with around 4,000 holding a limited visit permit

Deputy of Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism said that the Bali reopening is “kind of a pilot scheme” and added: “We have to build trust [in the market], we have to start [reopening Bali to foreign tourists]”. She said that tourism resumption should not wait until the end of the pandemic, and it is better to try first and evaluate later. She informed that 66 hotels have been prepared for the warm-up vacation programme, but only 5 have received approval. Chairman of the Association of the Indonesian Tour & Travel Agencies in Bali appreciated the government’s effort to restart tourism, adding that “there is no right time” for tourism reopening and the most important thing is to maintain strict health protocols and control the pandemic

An Indonesian who arrived in Bali on Garuda Indonesia’s first direct flight from Narita, Japan on 3 Feb has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been immediately quarantined. Bali Governor revealed that over 70 passengers has been scheduled to arrive in Bali on Singapore Airlines’ flight from Singapore on 16 Feb, but it still uncertain whether the flight will go through or not depending on the development of the COVID-19 cases, especially regarding the Omicron variant

Bali Governor revealed that the number of daily cases in the ongoing Omicron wave has surpassed the number during the Delta wave in 2021. He urged Bali residents to “stay calm yet vigilant” despite the surge. Bali recorded 2,038 COVID-19 cases on 5 Feb

Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs revealed that Bali’s economy only grew 0.07% in 2021, adding that this indicated that the tourism sector needs more attention in 2022

Expert Staffer on the Executive Office of the President stated that “there is no need to pull the emergency brake” amid rising Omicron infections as the cases are less severe and hospital occupancy rates are “still manageable”

PPKM Java-Bali extended until 14 Feb. Jakarta and Bali up to Level 3: non-essential sectors must operate at 25% office capacity; grocery stores and F&B establishments must operate at 60% capacity and close at 9 PM; shopping malls must operate at 60% capacity, cinemas at 50%, public areas, parks and tourism attractions at 25%; arts, culture, social, and sports activities can be held at 25% capacity

At least 1,630 officials carried out final preparations for the Mandalika MotoGP pre-season test, including pre-operational training, troop assignment, and discussions on security implementation at Lombok entry points as well as routes and hotels used by participants

The Transport Ministry clarified that foreign tourists are allowed to enter the country via Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport. The minister had stated earlier in the week, widely reported by the media, that foreign tourists and Indonesians could only enter via Bali’s Ngurah Rai, Batam’s Hang Nadim, and Tanjung Pinang’s Raja Haji Fisabilillah

23 hotels to be included in the travel bubble scheme as accommodations for racers and crews for the pre-season test of the Mandalika MotoGP event. Each hotel has prepared an antigen and PCR test site that will be manned by healthcare workers

Commander of the COVID-19 Task Force at Soekarno-Hatta Airport admitted that there were several blind spots in the quarantine flow of international arrivals at the airport, vulnerable points that could allow irregularities such as the “quarantine mafia” to emerge. The Task Force has carried out inspections and is working on improving the rules

Indonesia has scheduled various G20 side events to “showcase Indonesia’s positive image of development and culture”. A series of finance-related side events will be held in Feb, including a QRIS (QR Code Indonesian Standard) Excursion to Tourism Villages

Bali has ranked 22nd in the world and 10th in Asia on Gaining Edge’s 2021 Competitive Index on international convention destinations

Wonderful Indonesia to collaborate with Gresini Racing to promote Indonesian tourism, the Tourism Minister announced. The Wonderful Indonesia logo will be displayed on the motorcycles of racers under Gresini Racing at the MotoGP 2022

Statistics Indonesia reported that Indonesia’s GDP increased 3.69% in 2021 largely due to a rebound in investment

Bali to move self-quarantined COVID-19 patients to centralised isolation sites to reduce the risk of Omicron transmissions, Bali Governor announced

Domestic tourist arrivals in Bali reached 527,447 in Jan, up 70-80% YoY. Tourists entered through two gateways, Ngurah Rai Airport and Gilimanuk Port, and mainly came from Java

The Association of National Olympic Committees is reviewing the Pulisan Beach Area in Manado, North Sulawesi as one of the proposed venues for hosting the 2023 World Beach Games. Other proposed venues in Indonesia include Bali, Batam, and Bintan

West Nusa Tenggara Governor said that the Mandalika circuit is “100% ready” for the MotoGP pre-season test on 11-13 Feb. He added that West Nusa Tenggara will expedite vaccination to reach 100% full vaccination rate ahead of the MotoGP event on 18-20 Mar

Deputy of Tourism Products and Events said that the ministry will focus on revitalising special interest tours following rising demands due to the pandemic. She added that the ministry will trial the products domestically as 70% of their focus in 2022 is still on the domestic market. The ministry is developing tourism products with themes like heritage, ecotourism, medical and wellness, gastronomy, marine and diving, Muslim-friendly, and village tourism. The products will be developed mainly in the Five Super Priority Destinations, including heritage-themed experiences at the Toba Geopark and wellness-themed attractions in Joglosemar, the supporting clusters of Borobudur. The ministry will also expand health and wellness tourism in other areas such as Bali, Jakarta, Medan, and Surabaya

Adventure Outlook 2022 Survey has shown that 99% of over 2,000 Indonesian respondents are interested in taking adventure trips post-pandemic

Foreigners with B211A tourist visas entering via Bali or Riau are allowed to visit other areas in Indonesia and would not be required to exit the country through their original entry points, Immigration Traffic Director of the Immigration Directorate General announced. Health insurance coverage for foreign tourists has also been reduced from $100,000 USD to $25,000 USD. Indonesia has issued 273 e-visas for tourist visits to Bali and Riau during 15 Oct-28 Jan, including 47 for travellers from India, 42 from France, 20 from South Korea, 17 from Spain, and 16 from Sweden

Deputy Chair of the COVID-19 Handling Committee has asked those above 60 years old, those with comorbidities, and those who have not been fully vaccinated to stay home for the next two weeks to a month as COVID-19 cases rise

Indonesia recorded 32,211 new COVID-19 cases amid Omicron wave, the highest daily number in nearly 6 months

Head of the Karangasem Hotel and Restaurant Association in Bali revealed that 500 hotel rooms in the Karangasem region have been booked for the Mandalika MotoGP event. He also asked the government to consider reducing or revoking quarantine, and restart the visa on arrival policy for international travellers to revive Bali’s tourism

The Nongsa Resort and Golf Management Association has expressed readiness to welcome Singaporean tourists, though the Singaporean government has not yet issued the permit for tourist transport, which was supposedly scheduled for 4 Feb. The Singapore-Riau Safe Travel Bubble has started for trial from 24 Jan, but no tourists from Singapore have arrived in either Batam or Bintan

Bintan Resorts Group General Manager said that the required quarantine for Singapore travellers upon returning home under the Singapore-Riau Safe Travel Bubble is “another layer of inconvenience” in addition to high RT-PCR test costs. He added: “We can only be truly happy when Singapore announces reciprocal quarantine-free arrivals from Bintan”. He added that 90% of Bintan international arrivals come through Singapore, with 30% of them being Singapore residents

Bintan Resorts Group General Manager revealed that they are in talks with event organiser partners about reviving some sports events in Bintan. Sports tourism travellers account for about 30% of Bintan’s total arrival and revenue. He added that Bintan hotels need about 38% room occupancy to break even, and the current 50% capacity can still bring in some profit

Bali welcomed 6 tourists from Japan on business visas and 6 Indonesians onboard Garuda Indonesia’s first direct flight from Narita in nearly two years

Indonesia has announced a new Bubble Quarantine Policy for international arrivals entering Bali. Travellers are required to gain a tourist visa through a travel company, possess $2,500 USD of insurance with medical coverage, be fully-vaccinated, purchase a 5D/4N Bali Warm-Up Vacation package from 5 hotels or 6 liveaboard Phinisi ships, and complete the rest of their stays with approved travel companies

Deputy of Marketing in the Ministry of Tourism said that the 5-day quarantine required for international travellers visiting Bali, dubbed the “warm-up vacation package”, is different from a regular quarantine as travellers are not limited to staying in their rooms, but are allowed more freedom to roam the hotel’s premises. Public facilities for travellers under the package including swimming pool, gym, and dining facilities will be separated from regular guests

International arrivals who tested positive for COVID-19 during quarantine can request a retest with medical institutes outside of the 3 government referral hospitals, Head of COVID-19 Task Force announced

Bali’s hotel occupancy has dropped by 15% after the year-end holiday passed

Indonesia looks to maximise the G20 presidency to revive the MICE industry. Deputy for Tourism Products and Event Organisers at the Tourism Ministry stated that they will promote the tourism industry by holding G20 side events in 13 destinations, creating sustainability-themed tour packages for delegates, and hold 4 tourism-related side events

President Jokowi has inaugurated 7 new ferry ports in Lake Toba and launched 4 new ferries in a move to boost tourism in the Super Priority Tourism Destination

Agoda data for travel over the Lunar New Year has shown for the Indonesian market that: • The top 8 most popular destinations were: Bali, Bandung, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Medan, Berastagi (new for a top destination over Lunar New Year), Puncak and Batam • Travellers preferred 1-3.5 star accommodation, a change from 2021’s 4-5 star

ACI Report 2022 has shown that the average salary of tourism and hospitality employees in Indonesia is $42,512 USD, down 10% YoY and the lowest out of the Asia-Pacific countries surveyed

Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force reported that the number of cases reached 56,000 last week, a 40-fold increase compared to early Jan. Positivity rate from COVID-19 tests have also increased to 6%, above the WHO standard

President Jokowi urged to strengthen discipline on border control and quarantine implementation on foreign arrivals following multiple reports of alleged quarantine violations and scams. Reports have surfaced about foreigners who tested positive upon completion of quarantine despite testing negative on the on-arrival test and having no symptoms. The foreigners reportedly were not allowed to conduct a second PCR test to confirm their results and were required to isolate at another hotel at a high price. The Tourism Ministry has established a help desk to help foreign tourists with this issue. Other quarantine violation cases include Indonesian migrant workers who were offered payment to bypass quarantine, as well as celebrities bypassing quarantine

Bali to utilise the Presisi Quarantine App for tourism reopening, which could track the location of foreign arrivals serving quarantine and notify authorities in case of violation

Health Minister warned the public to limit mobility and increase vigilance to prevent a spike in cases. He informed that the Omicron outbreak in other countries has reached 3-6 times higher compared to the Delta peak, which could be a possible outcome for Indonesia too

PPKM in Java-Bali has been extended until 7 Feb. Jakarta and Bali stay at Level 2

Indonesia to reopen Bali from 4 Feb for international travellers who are not Indonesian migrant workers. Bali offers two additional options for quarantine; a bubble quarantine at 5 hotels with a total of 447 rooms, or 6 live-on-board ships

Indonesia to shorten quarantine for fully-vaccinated travellers from 7 to 5 days, despite rising COVID-19 cases. Partially-vaccinated travellers still need to quarantine for 7 days

Deputy Chair of the COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee has revealed that the vaccination indicator standard for PPKM Level 1 and 2 has been switched from first vaccination dose to full vaccination for PPKM status advancement to encourage localities that are lagging in second dose vaccination

Head of Badung Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association estimated around 7,000 foreigners are staying in Bali at the moment who mostly entered Indonesia through Jakarta, then took a domestic flight to Bali. He stated that the foreigners were mostly “digital nomads” working from Bali while vacationing at the same time. He believed that Bali, especially the Canggu and Ubud areas, have great potential for digital nomad tourism and that special visa requirements for long term stays (3 months up to 1 year) should be regulated

PPKM outside of Java-Bali has been extended until 14 Feb. Active COVID-19 cases outside of Java-Bali occupy 5.4% of the total active cases nationally

Tourism Minister stated that no directive has been issued to close tourism attractions amid the surge of Omicron cases. He urged the tourism industry to strengthen health protocols and enhance the use of the PeduliLindungi app. The ministry is also collaborating with various parties to expedite booster vaccinations for tourism workers, including in Central Lombok ahead of the Mandalika MotoGP event, and in the Riau Islands to increase tourists’ trust in visiting Batam

Yogyakarta to hold numerous tourism agendas during the 2022 Chinese New Year holidays and has no plans to close tourist destinations. The Omicron variant has not been detected in the region, though cases have spiked five times from the previous week

Head of Karangasem Hotel and Restaurant Association reported that some hotels in Karangasem have decided to keep operating, even at a loss, to avoid further damage that could be incurred due to closure. Ashyana Candidasa Hotel reported that they have been operating at a loss of $3,100 USD per month since 2020, and have started to pay their employees depending on the hotel's occupancy instead of their basic salary. Other hotels have maintained 50% of their total employees and implement a similar pay structure

The government to invite delegations from 193 countries to visit tourist attractions and enjoy cultural performances during the 2022 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction event in Bali, which will be held on 23-28 May. The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture said that the event provides “momentum to promote Indonesian tourism”

The Tourism Ministry has signed an MoU with the Indonesian Motor Association to develop the automotive tourism industry. They will also collaborate in the preparation of the Mandalika MotoGP event, which is expected to revive the automotive industry and sports tourism

Bali Governor believes the increase of domestic visitors during the year-end holiday was the main contributor to the current spike in COVID-19 transmissions

Bali’s Tourism Agency expressed readiness and appreciation in response to Bill Gates’ plan to hold a summit in Bali. Acting Head of the agency said Bali welcomes any opportunities or events that could potentially bring a lot of international tourists to the island

Deputy President Director of the Mandalika Grand Prix Association revealed that several state-owned enterprises including Hotel Indonesia Natour, ASDP Indonesia Ferry, and Garuda Indonesia are preparing ticket packages which includes tickets to and from Mandalika bundled with accommodations. Flights to Lombok Airport from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Surabaya’s Juanda Airport, and Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport will also be increased, and camping grounds in Mandalika’s West and East Zones for additional accommodation is being finalised

Indonesia reported 9,905 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily number since Aug. Jakarta reported the most cases with 4,558 and the bed occupancy rate has risen from 3% on 3 Jan to 41% on 27 Jan. Health Minister is optimistic that this COVID-19 wave would be manageable as hospitalisation and fatality rate of the Omicron variant remain low

The Badung Chapter of Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association has urged hotels, restaurants, and other tourism businesses look for other solutions instead of laying-off workers such as implementing a shift-rotation system for workers

Senior Advisor on the Executive Office of the President reported that the bed occupancy rate in Jakarta has reached 45% and that their office has received reports of citizens having difficulties finding a hospital room. He urged COVID-19 patients with mild or no symptoms to self-isolate at home

Tourism Minister has inaugurated the Creative Hub in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara to promote and support the revival of the creative economy industry in the area. He also said that the ministry will provide training and guidance for tourism and creative economy actors to prepare them for G20 side events in Labuan Bajo. He urged Labuan Bajo to develop the tourism industry more and consider other sectors like sports or culture tourism, in addition to the current focus in ecotourism

The Tourism Ministry promotes strengthening the tourism and creative economy supply chain at the Mandalika Super Priority Tourism Destination area to encourage economic revival. Deputy for Industry and Investment of the ministry stated that the Mandalika MotoGP event is an opportunity for MSMEs to promote their products to tourists, while the Head of the West Nusa Tenggara Tourism Office hopes hotels can support MSMEs by placing brochures with product information in their lobbies or guest rooms

Indonesia recorded 7,010 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily number since 7 Sep 2021. The Omicron variant has been detected in 1,766 of the cases

Solo city in Central Java Province to replace Vietnam as host for the ASEAN Para Games 2022 in Jul. Solo Governor said venue and accommodation preparations have started, and expects hotels to reach full occupancy during the games

House of Representatives member from the Bali electoral district believes that Bali is “100% ready to welcome international tourists” due to high vaccination rates and stringent health protocols, despite rising COVID-19 cases. He stated that tourism businesses in Bali are “at their limit of patience” for tourism reopening

Tourism Minister expects the newly launched Tlusure application to be a “game changer” through collaboration with tourism and creative villages to support MSMEs. The app will provide tourists with information on tourist destinations and health protocols as well as current conditions

Tourism Minister clarified that the travel bubble for the Mandalika MotoGP is not meant for international spectators, and will be implemented for athletes, crew, and officials of the race. He predicted that 90% of MotoGP spectators would be domestic tourists

Hotels and businesses in Nongsa and Lagoi stated that the government has yet to release the standard operating procedure for the Batam Bintan-Singapore (BB-S) Travel Bubble, while hotels in other parts of Bintan and Batam hopes the bubble would be expanded beyond Nongsa and Lagoi soon, as reported by CNA

Singapore PM revealed that Singapore and Indonesia will discuss making the Batam Bintan-Singapore Travel Bubble a two-way one. He added that discussions will continue to expand air and sea travel between the countries, and to more destinations in Indonesia. He said that Singapore has proposed to start discussions about a bilateral VTL to more destinations in Indonesia, so that it would be ready to be implemented when the “conditions are suitable”

Indonesia hopes to expand the quarantine-free travel corridor scheme for Singaporean travellers to Bali, following the opening of the Batam Bintan-Singapore Travel Bubble, Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister revealed. He added that he had asked the Transport Minister to increase direct flights from Singapore to Bali

Tourism Minister stated that the government will adjust flight regulations to ease air traffic and increase international flights to Bali ahead of G20 events. He also confirmed that Indonesia is in talks to open a travel bubble arrangement with Japan and India. He added that airlines from the UAE, Qatar, Japan, India, and Turkey have expressed interest to open direct routes to Bali, and that discussions have been ongoing for 6 months. Garuda Indonesia has also been instructed to resume the Japan route to bring passengers into Bali

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment stated that the Batam-Bintan Travel Bubble will be evaluated in two weeks’ time and might be considered for suspension if problems arises

Tourism Minister encouraged the Central Sulawesi government to push tourism development towards economic recovery. The ministry will conduct programmes to improve public welfare, create jobs, and support MSMEs in the area. He hoped that the whole community can prosper through tourism, as the sector can create jobs 6 times faster than other sectors

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing has allocated 1.13 trillion IDR for Taman Mini Indonesia Indah renovation, out of the total planned budget of 2.7 trillion IDR. Tourism holding InJourney expects the revitalisation project to be completed in Oct

Ferry operators to Batam and Bintan reported increased inquiries from Singaporean travellers following the announcement of the Batam-Bintan Travel Bubble, despite the 7-day SHN required upon returning to Singapore. Batam’s Nongsa Resorts reported inquiries mainly came from travellers who are interested in golf, who want to travel but not take flights, and are interested in longer periods of stays. Batam Fast Ferry General Manager warned of a possible increase in ferry ticket price due to the need to house workers within the travel bubble area and the cost for workers’ routine COVID-19 testing

PPKM in Java-Bali has been extended to 31 Jan. PPKM Level assessment will now consider the situation in agglomeration areas as a whole instead of only individual regencies/cities. Jakarta Metropolitan Area and Bali are at Level 2

Tourism Minister suggested tourism destinations and international tourist gateways to receive vaccination priority including Bali, Jakarta, Batam, and Bintan

Indonesia has officially announced the Batam Bintan-Singapore Travel Bubble. Singaporeans will be permitted to enter through Batam’s Nongsapura ferry terminal or Bintan’s Bandar Bentan Telani terminal and are not allowed to leave Batam or Bintan throughout their stay. Travellers must be fully-vaccinated, take a pre-departure and on-arrival PCR test, prepare travel insurance worth $30,000 SGD, and use PeduliLindungi and Blue Pass for COVID-19 tracing. The Tourism Minister clarified that Indonesians are not able to enter Singapore through the travel corridor. He added that the Bintan terminal is ready to welcome 50-100 tourists from Singapore daily, which will be increased gradually to 500 daily through 8 trips

Head of the Justice and Human Rights Ministry’s Bali Office stated that the immigration will not hesitate to act on visa violators after receiving tips about foreigners on tourist visas working remotely from Bali

Java-Bali PPKM Coordinator assured that the increase in Omicron cases “is relatively under control” and that case numbers are still 90% lower than that of the Delta peak. Local transmissions have become more dominant, with imported cases now occupying less than 10% of the total cases. PCR positivity rate has increased to 9%

Head of the Bali Representative Office of the Bank of Indonesia urged the government to seek strategies to bring more domestic tourists to the island, adding that tourism is still the key to Bali’s economic recovery in the short term. Bali’s economic performance in Q3 2021 was still -2.91% YoY. He hopes that current arrivals in Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport of 8,000 per day could remain or even increase to 10,000. The Deputy Governor of Bali said that 70% of the 14,000 daily arrivals during the peak in Dec 2021 were tourists. He added that the trend of domestic tourists is to rent villas that can occupy 4-6 people, noting that only 8% of 140,000 hotel rooms in Bali were occupied. He said that the number could be up to 60% for some regions or individual hotels

Indonesia’s general election to select the president, vice president, and members of legislative bodies is scheduled for 14 Feb 2024

Traveloka has launched “QuickRide” taxi ride-hailing service as it aims to become an “all-encompassing digital platform”, allowing users in 16 cities to book taxis from local taxi provider Bluebird

Tourism Minister proposed to launch booster vaccination programmes in popular tourism destinations to support economic recovery and improve performance of tourism workers. He added that the ministry estimated that 500,000-700,000 jobs will be created in the tourism and creative economy sectors in 2022

The Jakarta Regional People's Representative Council has urged the city’s Department of Transport to revitalise the ports in Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) in an effort to transform it into the “mascot of Jakarta’s tourism”. Head of the Department of Transport informed that ports and facilities in 4 islands will be revitalised in 2022, including in the Pramuka Island, Sebira Island, Tidung Island, and Kelapa Island

G20 meetings are expected to inject 7.4 trillion IDR into Bali’s economy

Tourism Minister encouraged innovation at rest areas to create more business and job opportunities for the tourism and creative economy sector during his visit to the 229B Kanci-Pejagan Toll Road Rest Area in Cirebon, West Java. He urged locals to develop creative products, hold performances of cultural and performing arts, music, and folk cinema to increase tourist visits. 229B Rest Area Manager stated that 18% of the 31,000 vehicles that passed by visited the rest area, and he hopes the number can increase to 25%

Jakarta’s Governor believes that Jakarta will remain the nation’s economic and cultural activities centre, as well as the “knot that unites the Indonesian nation” following move of the capital city to East Kalimantan

Tourism Minister has deemed the Penyengat Island in Riau Islands suitable to be developed as a 3S (spirituality, serenity, and sustainability) based tourism destination and hopes the island can become “one of the icons of halal tourism in the future”. Riau Islands Governor stated that the island will be revitalised and beautified in 2022 to attract more tourists, and that the provincial government has allocated 30 billion IDR for the project

Health Ministry has given permission for Omicron patients to undergo self-isolation or treatment at home, as long as they meet clinical requirements and have a separate room in their house for isolation

Chairman of the National Sports Committee said that the lion dance has strongly contributed to sports tourism development in Indonesia. He advised the Management Board of the Indonesian Lion Dance Federation to hold events regularly to foster lion dance athletes and hold collaboration events with regional programmes

Tourism Ministry has chosen Yogyakarta as host city for ASEAN Tourism Forum 2023, in part to showcase Borobudur as one of the super priority tourism destinations. The minister deemed the city ready to host major events as Yogyakarta has a new international airport and suitable facilities

Tourism Minister disclosed that a travel bubble policy between Singapore and the Riau Islands is being finalised and an official announcement about the opening will be made on 24 Jan. The travel bubble will be limited to arrivals by sea from Singapore to Nongsa in Batam city and Lagoi in Bintan district. The minister added that Batam currently has 2,712 beds in quarantine facilities but needs an additional 2,750 as bed occupancy has reached 95%, while occupancy rate in hotels only reached 32%

Tourism Minister stated that the travel bubble policy is “spot-on, highly beneficial, and on-time”. The policy is currently implemented for the G20 and Mandalika MotoGP events

Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment confirmed that President Jokowi has received letters from the Bill Gates and Rockefeller Foundations, asking permission to hold a meeting in Apr to discuss climate issues in Bali. He informed that the President is inclined to attend the meeting and eager to discuss climate change and waste management issues, as well as MSMEs in Indonesia

Tourism Minister hopes that graduates of Indonesian tourism educational institutions can fill the tourism job vacancies in the country, especially with many tourism development projects under progress in various areas

Minister of Communication and Information hopes that the Mandalika MotoGP event can create a multiplier effect, generating around $40 million USD annually for the local economy. He added that the event has employed 11,000 workers, including 3,000 in the MSMEs sector

Bali ranked 1st in Asia and 4th in the world on Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards 2022 Popular Destinations lists

Health Ministry reported that 882 Omicron cases have been detected in Indonesia, comprising 710 imported cases, 161 local transmissions, and 11 unidentified cases. Of the imported cases, international travellers from Saudi Arabia contributed the most cases at 128, followed by 109 from Turkey, 81 from the US, 66 from Malaysia, and 54 from the UAE. The ministry also reported that 90% of the local transmission cases occurred in Jakarta

Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs estimated that various G20 events could create 33,000 jobs and generate 1.7 trillion IDR in domestic consumption. The G20 conference will comprise 150 events attended by 20,988 delegates with staff and family, totalling up to 83,000 people. The minister has also established the 2022 G20 Presidency Program and Activities Committee within the Cooperatives and SME Ministry to optimise the roles of Indonesian cooperatives and MSMEs in the G20 Presidency and ensure they benefit from it

5 sub-districts in Jakarta to implement micro-lockdown after being declared “Omicron red zones”, meaning over 8 Omicron cases have been found in the area. Jakarta has reported the most Omicron cases with 988, of which 325 were local transmissions

The Ministry of Law and Human Rights has reported 22,101 foreign arrivals and 17,168 foreign departures from 1-15 Jan. Total traffic of foreign passengers by land, sea, and air amounted to 39,269 people, down from 50,810 two weeks ago

The Central Board of the Indonesian Rock Climbing Federation is considering between Bali and Manado to host one of the 2022 Rock Climbing World Cup Series depending on the preparation readiness in the two locations. Head of the federation also informed that the schedule of 24-26 Sep might still change depending on the pandemic situation and policies

The Finance Ministry has moved two G20 events from Bali to Jakarta due to concerns of Omicron transmissions. Secretary I of the G20 Meeting Implementation Committee explained that this move is in line with the G20 delegates’ preferences, as transit flights are needed to reach Bali, which could increase the risk of Omicron transmissions

Sports Minister proposes to use the bubble system and loosen quarantine restrictions for athletes, officials, and foreign committees for international sports competitions in Indonesia, including for Mandalika MotoGP

Finance Minister reported GDP growth in Q4 2021 to be around 5%, taking the annual growth in 2021 to 4%

Tourism Minister to focus on improving skills of tourism professionals in 2022, as skilled tourism professionals can be considered an investment and a measure of success in tourism development in the ASEAN region. He asked for support from other ASEAN countries to empower tourism workers. He also urged tourism professionals to expand their skills not only in ASEAN but also other countries such as Japan, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand in the future. The Tourism Ministry had conducted several activities to improve the skills of tourism professionals such as skill development in MICE sector, holding other activities in ASEAN region, and establishing private-public partnership to assist upskilling and technology utilisation

Garuda Indonesia’s creditors from various countries have requested 45-60 days extensions to debt proceedings due to difficulties caused by the pandemic. Only 148 of the 501 creditors who submitted claims have completed the pre-verification process so far, according to a court-appointed administrator

Health Ministry reported that bed occupancy rate in Jakarta reached 34%, while ICU occupancy rate reached 5% as of 17 Jan

Indonesia Port Corporations (Pelindo) expressed readiness to welcome Mandalika MotoGP spectators through Gilimas Passenger Terminal in West Lombok. The terminal has a capacity of 1,500 people and is able to receive local passenger ships and cruises. It is also expected to increase connectivity by sea to and from Lombok

Tourism Minister optimistic that tourism demand in Jakarta will rise following the move of the capital city to East Kalimantan, and hopes the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association can prepare accordingly. He predicted that Jakarta could become an economic center akin to the US's New York or Australia’s Sydney

PPKM in Java-Bali extended for one week to 24 Jan. Jakarta and Bali stay at Level 2

Latest Ministry of Internal Affairs Instructions on Java-Bali PPKM stated that only those with “green” status (full vaccination) in the PeduliLindungi app can enter public areas including hotels, supermarkets, cinemas, and sports facilities

Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway targeted to start operations by end of Jun 2023, further delayed from the previous target of Dec 2022

President Jokowi urged the public to complete their vaccinations and booster shots as soon as possible, avoid activities in crowded places, and work from home amid an increase of Omicron cases. He also asked the public to be vigilant but not overreact or panic regarding the upward trend of cases

Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that over a third of Indonesian citizen deaths overseas related to COVID-19 occurred in Saudi Arabia

Indonesia and Cambodia have signed an MoU to continue bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector, focusing on tourism promotion and marketing, tourism destination development, private sector cooperation, capacity building, MICE, and cooperation in events and connectivity. Indonesia will also take over from Cambodia as host for the ASEAN Tourism Forum in 2023

International Labor Organization estimated the number of unemployment in Indonesia to reach 6.1 million in 2022, the highest number among South East Asian countries

Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation has received loans from Beijing for the development of the ITDC area in Mandalika with the theme of “Sport and Entertainment Development Tourism”, which will include a golf course and a waterpark and is targeted to be completed by 2050. ITDC’s General Manager of Operational stated that the project would mainly employ the local workforce, including the construction of 16,000 hotel rooms that would be undertaken by around 20,000 workers

Employment of local workforce in the Mandalika Special Economic Zone has reached only 40% from the targeted 70%, even with various international events being held in the area. Head of West Nusa Tenggara’s Department of Manpower stated that to meet the 70% target, the Mandalika SEZ requires some time to prepare the human resources through various training and internship programmes

6 more hotels in Bali have been prepared as quarantine facilities for international arrivals in anticipation of the predicted Omicron spike in Feb, bringing it to a total of 66

Tourism Minister stressed that the quarantine policy under the travel bubble system will apply to all international visitors for the MotoGP event including officials, crew, and racers, following Dorna Sports boss’ threat to cancel MotoGP races in countries that require quarantine. The Minister noted that Indonesia has fulfilled all obligations in the MotoGP contract and said that threatening to cancel the race over quarantine procedure is unacceptable

COVID-19 Task Force spokesperson assured that quarantine facilities for international arrivals are still adequate and ready to be increased if necessary. Quarantine facilities for those arriving at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport include 22,476 beds with a daily average of 1,745 people entering and 1,367 exiting quarantine at the facilities

GoTo Group and Jejak.In’s GoGreener Carbon Offset feature has been adopted by the Tourism Ministry on the Indonesia Travel website. Users can calculate their carbon footprint and contribute to offsetting it by donating for tree-planting in conservation areas. The Tourism Minister stated that this move supports the national movement toward net zero emission and that tourism development will focus on the 3P (planet, people, prosperity) principles going forward

Indonesia announced the new capital city name in East Kalimantan to be “Nusantara”, and has allocated $35.8 million USD in the 2022 state budget for its construction

The government will adopt the same mobility restrictions for this year-end as the 2021 year-end restrictions “had proven to be beneficial”, Coordinating Human Development and Cultural Affairs Minister announced. He added that measures are needed to anticipate possible Omicron surge including monitoring health protocols, using PeduliLindungi app, and speeding up vaccination and booster programmes. He reported that out of 123,312 international arrivals at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on 1-15 Jan, 3,923 tested positive for COVID-19 including 567 Omicron cases

House leasing advertisements targeted towards foreign nationals by PT Levels Hotels Indonesia on Karimun Jawa Island, dubbed “The Start Up Island”, has sparked controversy and concerns about gentrification on local social media, as reported by BBC News Indonesia

Java-Bali PPKM Coordinator stated that the PPKM period will be extended on a weekly basis for Java-Bali, replacing the two-week assessment period, due to the rapid development of Omicron cases. PPKM outside Java-Bali will still follow the two-week assessment period

Minister of Law and Human Rights stated that restrictions on foreign tourist visits based on the spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia is necessary to prioritise public safety while maintaining the pace of the economy, in response to requests from tourism actors to relax government’s limit on foreign tourist arrivals to Bali ahead of 2022 G20 events. He assured that evaluation of COVID-19 policies are being conducted on a weekly basis with the President

President Jokowi has approved the increase of Mandalika MotoGP spectators from 63,000 to 100,000

PPKM outside Java-Bali extended to 31 Jan

Tourism Ministry revealed that 11 million Indonesian tourists travel abroad and spend 11 billion USD annually, and urges the public to travel domestically instead with the #DiIndonesiaAja (“Let’s Stay in Indonesia”) campaign. The Tourism Minister stated that the campaign needs support from the tourism and creative economy sectors to aim their programmes to the domestic market, as it will take time for the foreign market to return

Tourism Minister pushes for more sports tourism activities in Bali to support economic revival, such as the Governor's Charity Golf Tournament recently held in Nusa Dua, in which 70% of the participants were from outside Bali. The Bali Provincial government is also preparing the development of a sprint rally and speed rally circuit in Jembrana, which is expected to create 300 jobs. The minister also revealed the possibility of the World Cup For Ocean Open Water Swimming to be held in Bali at year-end

Tourism Minister stated that the ministry is working to solve the 5 main problems for the absence of foreign tourists in Bali, including lack of direct flights to Bali, the number of countries in the re-approved list, as well as quarantine, visa, and insurance requirements. He stated that Bali itself is ready to welcome foreign tourists and that a ministry-level coordination meeting will be held in Jan to discuss the next steps and formulate policies

PeduliLindungi App has added offline check-in feature, allowing users to check-in to public places without internet connection

Special “Upanat” sandals to be produced for visitors climbing the Borobudur Temple to preserve the stairs and structures of the temple. The sandals’ production will mainly be handled by MSMEs in the area and is expected to create 1,200 jobs, according to the Tourism Minister. Head of the Borobudur Conservation Center stated that the number of visitors allowed to climb the temple will be limited. General Manager of the Borobudur Temple Tourism Park informed that the number of visitors has declined during the pandemic, from 4.3 million in 2019 to 990,000 in 2020, and 420,000 in 2021

Indonesia recorded 1,504 new COVID-19 cases amid reports of local Omicron transmissions, the highest daily increase in 3 months

State-owned enterprises’ tourism holding, InJourney, revealed their 5 short-term priorities including managing the holding’s airport businesses’ portfolios by creating an international logistic hub, developing 8 airports with an “aerocity” concept, initiating a travel management platform, consolidating 122 state-owned enterprises hotels, and developing the super priority tourism destination areas

Bali’s COVID-19 Task Force Secretary reported that the provincial government has prepared 60 hotels with 11,960 rooms and 6 government-owned buildings with 433 beds as quarantine facilities for Indonesian migrant workers and international travelers entering Bali. 62 referral hospitals for COVID-19 and 26 laboratories with a maximum PCR testing capability of 10,630 per day have also been prepared

President Jokowi stated that improving governance is vital in optimising Indonesia’s tourism potentials, stressing: “Do not let the huge potential slip away,” in regards to State-Owned Enterprises Minister’s prediction that domestic tourism could reach 330 million trips and foreign tourism 17 million trips in 2022. He urged the tourism industry to utilise the momentum of international events, including the Mandalika MotoGP and the G20 Summit, to develop the sector, such as preparing the 10 super-priority tourism destinations. He also asked that tourism development should benefit the local community, including MSMEs

COVID-19 Task Force spokesperson stated that the lifting of travel bans on 14 Omicron-infected countries and international travel resumption was necessary in order to uphold state stability and national economic recovery. He added that the ban is “ultimately futile” as Omicron has spread to roughly 150 countries. All foreign arrivals will now be quarantined for 7 days upon arrival regardless of the country they departed from

The pandemic might prolong investigations on Sriwijaya Air’s 9 Jan 2021 crash for another year

Indonesia is preparing nearly 700 pinisi ships (traditional wooden boat from South Sulawesi) with a total of 3,500 rooms, 4 ships with 1,000 rooms each from state-owned ship operator Pelni, and two cruises as additional accommodations for Mandalika MotoGP tourists

President Jokowi has launched State-Owned Enterprises’ tourism holding company, InJourney. He stated that tourism SOEs have “great assets and strategic locations” but are not managed properly. He hopes InJourney could integrate the tourism development process, and regard the pandemic not as a setback but as a turning point to “organise, transform, and build a stronger and more resilient tourism ecosystem”. The holding will comprise, among others, 120 hotels, as well as various tourism attractions and souvenir shops. The holding Minister of SOEs estimated InJourney’s assets could reach 260 trillion IDR by 2024

COVID-19 Handling Task Force has issued a new circular on overseas travel health protocols: • The travel ban on 14 countries with Omicron infections has been removed • All Indonesians arriving from overseas are required to quarantine for 7 days • International travellers visiting Indonesia for tourism purposes are required to enter through Bali or Riau airport

Tourism Minister urges investors to invest in the tourism sector, stating: “For every dollar you invest in tourism and creative economy, you'll have six times more jobs created”. He stated that the current 2.4 billion USD of tourism investment is “too small” for Indonesia’s great tourism potential. He set a target of 470 million to 1.7 billion USD foreign exchange and a contribution of 4.3% in GDP for the tourism sector in 2022. The targets are expected to help create 14.7 million jobs. The tourism sector contributed an estimated 360 million USD in foreign exchange, 4.2% of the GDP, and created 14.3 million jobs in 2021

Ticket sales for the Mandalika MotoGP event have been open since 6 Jan with over 60,000 tickets available. Mandalika Grand Prix Association reported that 4,529 tickets has been sold as of 11 Jan

Indonesia’s economic growth set at 5.1% this year despite threats of Omicron

Field Coordinator for the Preparation of the 2022 Mandalika MotoGP reported that the travel bubble system will be implemented for international visitors attending the event, requiring them to undergo a PCR test at the airport before being directly transferred to designated hotels. Tourists with negative test results will be allowed to enter the first tier of the circuit area. A task force will also be deployed to escort the international visitors

Java-Bali PPKM Coordinator estimated that Omicron infections will peak in early Feb. He stressed that Indonesia is more ready to face any possible COVID-19 wave, supported by higher vaccination rates, higher testing and tracing capacity, and better-prepared health systems. He also urged the cooperation of all parties in complying with regulations

Executive Director of the Center of Reform on Economics Indonesia expressed optimism in the Bali Special Economic Zone for Health, stating that it has the potential to compete with neighbouring countries. He hopes the International Hospital in Bali can offer facilities comparable to those abroad so it can attract not only domestic visitors but also foreigners. He added that Bali already has a strong attraction for tourism, and combining it with health facilities can be a “plus point” that shows Indonesia’s tourism potential for the international community

Omicron cases have tripled in a week, with imported cases occupying 90%. The Health Ministry reported that most of the cases were Indonesian nationals who have been fully vaccinated, and those positive for Omicron were mostly travellers returning from Turkey, followed by those returning from United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The government again urged the public to hold off on overseas leisure trips

Java-Bali PPKM Coordinator said that Indonesia will enter a state of “high alert” if bed occupancy rate reaches 20-30%

Batam Culture and Tourism Office has prepared hundreds of tourism activities for 2022, with multiple events happening each month. Batam authorities has stated that the city will focus on domestic tourists as they await the reopening of international borders

Indonesian President and Singapore PM to meet in Bintan, Riau on 25 Jan to discuss G-to-G agreement on opening cross-border tourism between the two countries. Singapore is currently the largest contributor of foreign tourists to the Riau Islands, especially Bintan. Head of the Bintan Tourism Department expects the border to open by end of Jan. He also hopes that the government would reopen sea access for foreign tourists to support the recovery of the tourism sector

Bali’s Badung Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association to push tourism promotion post year-end holidays, targeting countries with low COVID-19 risks such as Australia. Head of the association stated that they will contact authorities of the low-risk countries to open discussions on resuming direct flights to Bali

Tourism Minister has stated that the government will ensure Indonesia is ready to hold the planned domestic and international events amid the rise of Omicron cases, including tightly implementing safety protocols

Jakarta Deputy Governor stated that micro-lockdowns might be imposed in the city to curb COVID-19 transmissions. As of 9 Jan, there were 1,885 active cases in Jakarta, in which 407 were positive for the Omicron variant. Of those, 350 had traveled overseas while 57 were local transmissions

Tourism Minister predicted that the Mandalika MotoGP could boost local economy by 20-30%

Tourism Minister said that 90% of rooms in Lombok have been booked ahead of the Mandalika MotoGP so far, with expected 100% occupancy during the event. The ministry is preparing 300 homestays, as well as collaborating with private businesses to provide temporary accommodations, such as camping grounds and camper vans. The ministry aims to attract 100,000 visitors to Lombok during the event, with mostly domestic tourists

Construction of North Bali International Airport is estimated to cost 50 trillion IDR and create 200,000 jobs, according to the feasibility study and business plan submitted to the Ministry of Investment. The new airport is expected to push tourism, agriculture, fisheries, and MSMEs in North Bali, and close the welfare gap between North and South Bali

Garuda Indonesia has partnered with PT Liga Indonesia Baru, the operator of national soccer tournaments. Garuda will be the official airline of the company until 31 Dec 2024 and will provide flight services for all management, athletes, contingent, and supporters during various tournaments held all over Indonesia

The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association has asked the government to open Bali as an alternative accommodation area during the Mandalika MotoGP event due to the lack of rooms available in Lombok. Secretary-General of the association also asked the government to ease regulations for transfers between Bali and Lombok. He added that it is important to create a “good impression on international visitors” as this is the first large-scale event of this kind to be held in Indonesia. Tourism Minister also plans to set up 200 cabins and tents around the venue to help with accomodations

Indonesian VP has encouraged development of tourism in Palu area, such as Taipa Beach, to boost local economy. He urged the management of tourist attractions to prioritise “sense of security and comfort” for visitors

Still no regular international flights scheduled to land in Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport, 3 months since reopening. A majority of foreign tourists in Bali arrived through Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport or through charter flights landing in Bali

14 buildings in Jakarta were named cultural heritage sites in 2021. Jakarta Culture Agency Head said that this is part of the effort to preserve Jakarta’s cultural assets and urge the public to join in maintaining their sustainability

Tourism Minister stated that the ministry needs to have responsibility as the tourism sector has a large carbon footprint, contributing 8% to the global greenhouse emission. The Ministry has taken part in calculating carbon footprint in the tourism and creative economy sector using new start-up app, Jejak.in

Tourism Minister reported that authorities will prioritise the provision of tourist accommodation for Mandalika MotoGP. He added that the event is an opportunity for innovation in regards to the development of homestay accommodation for tourists, especially in tourism villages. The event is expected to offer “long-term sustainable benefits to the locals”, including boosting employment and the tourism sector

4 more companies, including Booking.com and Airbnb, were appointed by the Directorate General of Taxes to be subjected to the Trading Through the Electronic System’s VAT regulation, requiring the businesses to collect a VAT of 10% of the value of the money paid by the buyer, which could possibly result in a rise of prices

9 cruise ships have submitted their 2022 schedules to dock at Lombok’s Gili Emas harbor, which are now awaiting approval from the central government, Head of the Port Authority Office reported. He added that proposals have been made for passengers to quarantine at the cruise ships for efficiency and to eliminate the need for centralised quarantine in hotels

Government survey on 22,000 people has shown that over 85% of Indonesia’s population have antibodies against COVID-19, though epidemiologists are unsure whether this could help contain new waves of infections as Indonesia’s vaccination rate is still lower than many other countries and it is still unclear how different vaccine brands affect antibody levels or how long antibodies last

Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport served 3,770,944 domestic passengers throughout 2021, up 3% YoY. Highest traffic occurred in Dec with 673,177 passengers, up 56% YoY

Indonesia recorded 533 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily number since 4 Nov, of which 267 cases were recorded in Jakarta. The government has stated that tightened measures will be enforced if cases keep reaching 500-1,000 daily. Proportion of positive turn out in testing reached 0.26%, up from last week’s 0.1% but still within WHO’s recommended rate of below 5%

PPKM Java-Bali Coordinator believes that “Presisi” quarantine monitoring app has helped to discipline the public and prevent entry of the Omicron variant. He added that 90% of Omicron transmission originated from overseas arrivals

Indonesia has imposed entry ban on 14 countries with confirmed community Omicron cases, those with proximity to countries with community cases, or those with over 10,000 Omicron cases, including: South Africa, Botswana, Norway, France, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, Lesotho, UK and Denmark. Foreign nationals are not permitted to enter Indonesia if they have lived in or visited said countries within 14 days

Quarantine exemption to be given for Indonesians arriving from abroad under “urgent circumstances” from 7 Jan, including those needing urgent medical treatment or under “circumstances of grief” such as death of immediate family members. Quarantine exemption for foreign nationals could be given for representatives’ leaders, diplomatic or work visa holders from ministry-level institutions or above, Travel Corridor Arrangement travellers, G20 delegates, and respectable members of international societies

Bed occupancy rate in Jakarta has increased from 4% to 7%, and ICU occupancy to 5% due to an increase in COVID-19 cases and the spread of Omicron

Denpasar Tourism Office reported that hotel occupancy rates in the area increased to 60% and tourist visits increased by 45% during the year-end holidays

Denpasar to tighten supervision and implementation of health protocols at tourist attractions, hotels, and malls to prevent the spread of Omicron in Bali

Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport served 406,682 passengers during the year-end holidays (17 Dec-4 Jan), up 56.05% YoY. Peak of arrivals occurred on 19 Dec with 28,975 passengers, and the peak of departures was on 2 Jan with 24,731 passengers leaving Bali

COVID-19 Handling Task Force spokesperson stated that the government will not completely restrict international travels amid Omicron spike due to consideration of Indonesian migrant workers’ citizen rights and diplomatic relations. He added that travel restrictions are not an effective way to curb transmissions if the tracing rate is still low and if the proportion of imported cases compared to local cases is under 1%

Deputy of Marketing for the Tourism Ministry recommends staycations as a safe tourism option during the pandemic, as they tend to involve only a small group of family or friends, usually using private vehicles. She also recommended homestay staycations, adding that tourism should not only be about “visiting the place” but also about the experience and “taking the local wisdom”

Tourism Minister predicted that domestic tourist mobility could reach 260-280 million in 2022. He believes that the tourism and creative economy sectors will offer great contributions to the economic revival in 2022, including job creation, and hopes that health protocols should continue to be improved in order to support that. He again urged the public to not travel abroad and spend holidays domestically instead, and added that quarantine exemption will not be given to anyone returning from overseas

Tourism attraction “Ngopi in The Sky” in Yogyakarta, a coffee brewing experience at an altitude, was suspended due to safety concerns as the crane used to lift passengers to the sky has not been authorised for use in the attraction, as well as its risky location near the shoreline. CEO of Teras Kaca, the company behind “Ngopi in The Sky”, noted that the attraction has been operating on a trial basis since 2 Jan and has attracted not only domestic but also foreign tourists

Hotel occupancy rate in Bali steadily increased during the year-end holidays, reaching 65%, but has gone back down again since 2 Jan, Bali Regional Board of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association reported. Deputy Head of Environmental Culture and Public Relations of the board said that domestic arrivals in Bali has not reached the predicted 15,000-20,000 per day but only reached around 13,000 per day due to a hike of prices in airline tickets and stringent policies such as full-vaccination requirement for children over 12

Angkasa Pura II recorded a 13% decline in air traffic during year-end, a week after the Transport Ministry banned the addition of around 30,000 extra flights during the holidays. Passenger traffic rose by 15% despite the ban at around 2.34 million passengers, up from 2020’s 2.28 million

Java-Bali PPKM to be extended until 17 Jan. Jakarta up from Level 1 to Level 2 amid rise of Omicron cases, while Bali stays at Level 2

Indonesia welcomed 153,200 foreign visitors in Nov, an increase of 6.4% YoY and the first growth during the pandemic, but still far below Nov 2019’s 1.3 million

Tourism businesses that don’t utilise the PeduliLindungi app will be penalised with temporary shutdown or permit revocation, Secretary of Bali’s Buleleng COVID-19 Handling Task Force announced after finding out that most Buleleng hotels were lax in utilising the app

Angkasa Pura I recorded 11,271 passengers on 81 flights during the New Year holiday, and expects up to 15,000 passengers departing Bali by the end of the holiday period

Tourism Minister stated that year-end tourists have helped support economic and tourism recovery, with Jakarta and Bali tourism attractions seeing high volumes of visitors. He added that traveller confidence has increased in 2021 as the pandemic was brought under control and vaccination rate increased. Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association reported an increase in hotel occupancy rate on New Year’s Eve, with Bali’s hotels also seeing 55% occupancy rate during the Christmas period. Tourism Minister stated that domestic tourists amount for 95% of the occupancy rate and believes that the year-end occupancy rate will increase by 5-10%

Tourism Minister plans to design tour packages to uninhabited islands in South Sulawesi as public demand for marine tourism to islands rises

PPKM outside Java-Bali extended until 17 Jan despite a decline in COVID-19 cases

Indonesia successfully held 42 out of the planned 64 in-person exhibitions in 2021, owing to the easing of restrictions in Oct. Stakeholders are optimistic about MICE prospects and the recovery the business events industry in the coming years

Central Statistics Agency of Indonesia reported 3.5 million domestic air passengers in Nov, up 19.81% MoM. Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta saw an 18.28% increase and recorded 975,000 passengers which amounted to 29.90% of the total domestic passengers, the highest number out of all the airports. The total during Jan-Nov hit 26.1 million, down 9.26% YoY

Government’s decision to shorten quarantine period was issued following clinical review that suggests the incubation period of the Omicron variant is shorter than the Delta variant at around 3-5 days, the Presidential Staff Office announced

Indonesia has shortened the quarantine period for Indonesians returning from abroad, with those arriving from countries currently under entry ban due to high Omicron risks undergoing a 10-day quarantine and those from other countries undergoing a 7-day quarantine, cut from the previously announced increased periods of 14 and 10 days respectively

Indonesia has prepared additional entry points and quarantine centres for international travellers, including in Surabaya’s Juanda Airport, Kalimantan’s land cross-border checkpoints, as well as Batam and Tanjung Pinang Ports

From 1-31 Jan, Indonesians returning from overseas must quarantine for either 10 or 14 days, depending on their origin country. Those returning from countries who have confirmed community transmission of the Omicron variant, from countries adjacent to those with confirmed community transmission or with more than 10,000 Omicron cases must quarantine for 14 days. Travellers from all other countries must quarantine for 10 days

Angkasa Pura I reported that peak of post-holiday traffic on 2 Jan sees 16,137 travellers departing Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport, further increasing from the 11,271 on 1 Jan

Bali to construct the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub with completion targeted for mid-2023, consisting of not only a tourism zone but also a yacht terminal zone, fishery zone, liquid bulk and container zone, as well as the existing Benoa port, which would become a home port for cruises and expected to increase tourist cruise connectivity between Indonesian ports

Dozens of unvaccinated domestic tourists have been caught while entering Bali through Jembrana’s Gilimanuk Port since the Candle Operation started in the beginning of the holiday season to secure borders from potential COVID-19 transmissions. Head of the Jembrana Health Agency reminded tourists to get vaccinated before travelling and to complete all travel requirements in order to avoid crowds at the port’s document screening area. He added that an average of 80 people per day from outside Bali have been vaccinated during the period of the Candle Operation

Head of West Nusa Tenggara’s Department of Transportation estimates that the spectator quota for the Mandalika MotoGP might be capped at only 50,000 out of the total 200,000 capacity of the venue due to the ongoing pandemic. The predicted quota is still 25,000 more than the total spectators of the 2021 Mandalika World Superbike event

Jakarta to restrict operating hours for tourist attractions and museums on 31 Dec-1 Jan, allowing for only half-day operations (9 a.m to 3 p.m.), while some tourist attractions like Setu Babakan Betawi Cultural Village and the Fatahillah Square will be closed

Tourism Ministry to collaborate with the Central Board of Indonesian Village Government Association in developing tourism and creative villages to make Indonesia’s tourism competitive, sustainable, and able to benefit the locals. The Tourism Minister urged the board to involve the younger generation in the villages in expanding the economic opportunities and increasing revenue, as well as to develop agrotourism in the villages

The Indonesia Tourism Forum stated that 6 health tourism sectors in Indonesia, comprising medical, food and nutrition, beauty, sport, nature, and spiritual and education, can be developed further to compete with neighbouring Southeast Asian countries like Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. The Forum patron said that while the other SEA countries are more advanced in the medical sector, Indonesia can thrive with the wellness and health tourism sector that draws from local wisdom, as well as gain an advantage in halal health tourism

21 new imported Omicron cases have been reported in Indonesia, mostly from Turkey and UAE travellers, bringing the total of Indonesia’s Omicron cases to 68

Restaurants and entertainment venues to close at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to minimise crowds. Officers will be deployed to monitor business premises, check health protocols, ensure venues close according to the set operating hours, and patrol residential areas to raid celebrations that violate regulations, including using firecrackers or fireworks

Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association reported that 1,700 hotels have stopped operations due to low income caused by the government's tight restrictions, resulting in the inability to pay operational fees. Hundreds of hotels are also seen being sold on online marketplaces due to bankruptcy, with some even cutting prices by billions of Rupiahs in order to sell them quickly

Tourism Ministry plans to develop package tours for the Mandalika MotoGP event to boost tourism in the Gili Islands. The plan would involve accommodations in Lombok and Gili Islands like tourism villages, glamping venues, homestays, cruises, as well as increasing connectivity between the islands and Mandalika via motorboats and shuttles