Indonesia

Indonesia will ban travellers from 8 countries from 29 Nov: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Eswatini and Nigeria

The government has urged people not to travel to their hometowns over the year-end holidays

All of Denpasar considered a green (low-risk) zone for the first time since the pandemic started, with an average of 2 active cases per village across 43 villages

Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency states that Bali’s recovery might be the key for Indonesia to drive the tourism industry and revive the people’s income. It could also demonstrate Indonesia’s capability on handling the pandemic

Central Lombok, West Lombok, and Mataram City reported significant revenue gain from Mandalika World Superbike (WSBK) event, while North Lombok’s tourism remain quiet and didn’t see much impact

Bank Indonesia predicts that GDP will grow by between 4.7-5.5% in 2022 as a result of the rebound in domestic demand and global economic activity

FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Asia Cup 2022 to be held on 12-24 Jul 2022 in Jakarta, with participation from 16 teams

Road to Asian Venture Philanthropy Network Conference & International Events was held in Bali on 25-26 Nov to welcome and prepare for the AVPN Global Conference that will be held on 21-24 Jun 2022. The events are expected to revive the MICE and tourism industry in Indonesia

Around 4.2 million civil servants and 2 million workers in state-owned companies, and many more in private firms will be banned from taking leave during the Christmas-New Year period as a measure to avoid spike in COVID-19 cases

Hotel occupancy rate in Sorong, West Papua has risen to normal levels. Hotel staff who have been laid-off at the beginning of the pandemic has been gradually called in to return to work since beginning of Nov

Head Alliance of Bali Marginal Tourism (APPMB) disagrees with government’s policy on tight year-end restrictions, worrying that it will cause mass cancellations for visits to Bali and claiming that the policy does not support tourism businesses’ efforts to revive the industry

Jokowi states that Geoparks might fit current tourism trends, namely ecotourism and wellness tourism, and have the potential to be attractive tourist destinations. He emphasised that innovative ideas are needed to balance nature conservation with economy. Indonesia has 6 UNESCO-recognised global geoparks

Digital tourism considered a promising opportunity and a way to improve tourism services in Bali. A Regional Regulation has been drafted on the establishment of regional companies for organising digital cultural tourism in Bali

Domestic tourists prefer to stay in Nusa Dua and Canggu over Seminyak, Legian, and Kuta, with 35% of Bali’s villas still unable to resume operations until the end of 2021. Accommodation operators face problems as at least 50 million IDR is needed to renovate and prepare properties for tourists after 1.5 years of inactivity

PPKM outside Java-Bali extended until 6 Dec

Series 4 of the Indonesian Football League 1 Competition to be held in Bali in Jan 2022 in order to revive the tourism industry

PPKM Level 3 rules for year-end holidays (24 Dec-2 Jan 2022) confirmed to be as follows: • Travelling or returning to hometown is discouraged if not for urgent reasons. Travellers must use PeduliLindungi app and take COVID-19 tests when departing and returning Transportation hubs, ports, stations, highways will be tightly controlled • Christmas worships will be held in hybrid manner, with in-person attendance at a max 50% of church capacity • Shopping centers, cinemas, and in-mall F&B establishments permitted to operate between 9 am - 10 pm, with 50% capacity. • Visitors must use PeduliLindungi app and be in the yellow or green category to enter. Celebrations inside malls are prohibited. • Odd-even traffic rules will be applied on roads to priority tourist attractions, which can operate at a 50% capacity, with only visitors in the yellow or green category of PeduliLindungi app allowed to enter. Celebration or parties prohibited. • Civil servants, state-owned enterprise employees, military and police prohibited from taking leave with others encouraged to take leave after the period • Schools prohibited from issuing additional days off on top of government-mandated holidays on 25 Dec and Jan 1

Mandalika locals benefited from the World Superbike (WSBK) event, especially in the tourism and hospitality sectors, and hope the condition continues to improve even after the event. Jokowi promised that major events will continue to be held every year to boost the local economy

Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy promotes the “4 AS” to be the core values for tourism and creative industries to revive their businesses and the national economy, which stands for Kerja KerAS (hard-working), CerdAS (smart working), TuntAS (thorough), and IkhlAS (sincere)

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy expressed appreciation to Kole Sawangan Tourism Village for its readiness to welcome tourists, stating its worthiness to be branded as one of Indonesia’s top priority tourism destinations. The village is expected to revive the local economy through job creation in the tourism sector

NTT loosened COVID-19 testing requirements for travels within the region, considering the high necessity of transportation between islands that locals rely on. Fully vaccinated travellers using air or sea transport do not need to be tested, while those who have only received one dose still require an antigen test

Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy proposes changes in entry policies including: • Opening borders to low-risk (level 1-3) countries including Australia • Allowing not only direct flights, but flights that transit in low-risk countries • Allowing tourists to enter based on their current residency and not on passport origins • Cooperating with Ministry of Law and Human Rights to increase visa quotas and abolish the guarantor provision requirement

Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy suggests reevaluation of policies to make Bali more attractive to foreign visitors and able to compete with neighbouring countries. Demands have increased for the India market, with airlines and Indonesian tourism businesses preparing tour packages for fully vaccinated Indian tourists. However, Mutual Recognition Arrangements still need to be set between the two countries to obtain flight permit for tourism purposes

South Korean Consul General for Bali hopes Bali-Korea cooperation increases, especially in the tourism sector, as Bali is in the top 7 destinations most visited by South Koreans

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy inaugurated the Gallery of Indonesian World Record Museum (MURI) Revitalization Project. The collaboration between the ministry and MURI aims to develop special interest destinations by showcasing their uniqueness

Mobility in Indonesia on a steady incline since Sep, reaching levels from before the pandemic

Mandalika WSBK drew the biggest crowd for any event in Indonesia since the start of the pandemic, with over 20,000 spectators during the final on 21 Nov and 15,000 during the free practice session on 29 Nov

Local tourism workers disappointed over lack of international flights arriving in Bali. Indonesian Tourist Guide Association’s Mandarin Chinese-speaking division dropped from 1,500 guides to around 100 during the pandemic due to lack of work. Garuda Indonesia executive stated that it will open Haneda-Jakarta route that transits in Bali on 5 Dec, offering hope for locals

The Bali Bangkit Forum, composed of 34 tourism stakeholders, sent an open letter to the President on 19 Nov stating that they have been “suffering for nearly two years” and urged Jokowi to “truly reopen Bali” in order to revive the economy. They suggested easing the requirements for tourists to enter Bali, including: • Simplifying Paid E-visa application for individual travel purposes or reopening Visa on Arrival and Free Visa applications, especially for those from low risk countries. • Applying a no-quarantine policy for international tourists or designating Bali as “Quarantine Island”, allowing tourists to freely pick any CHSE (Cleanliness, Health, Safety, Environment Sustainability) certified hotels as accommodation during their stay. • Allowing passengers to arrive on transit flights. • Expanding the list of countries that are allowed to enter Bali, especially Australia, European countries, and other countries with low COVID-19 risk. • Reducing insurance coverage for international tourists to $50,000 USD

Indonesia to boost domestic wellness tourism industry starting with Surakarta, Yogyakarta, and Bali. Wellness tourism has become increasingly popular during the pandemic and is expected to grow further with industry value predicted to increase to $919 billion USD by 2022 and over $1,672 billion USD by 2030. Indonesia is currently ranked 17th among the top global wellness destinations, generating 1.31 million jobs and $6.9 billion USD in revenue

Indonesia will offer cash assistance of 600,000 IDR to tourism workers in 3 instalments

Cultural Landscape of Bali ranked 18th in Design Bundles’ list of 30 Most Popular UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2021, based on data from UNESCO and Instagram

Bali to host 14th IESF (International Esports Federation) Esports World Championship on 20-27 Nov ‘22, expecting participation from over 120 countries with over one million participants

EU member states are advised to lift entry ban on Indonesian residents following the country’s addition to the list of epidemiologically safe third countries. Indonesia has shown a significant drop in COVID-19 cases, showing one case per 100,000 residents in the last 7 days

Indonesia’s COVID-19 Task Force urges tourism businesses to be disciplined in following PPKM policies to avoid a spike in cases following year-end holidays

COVID-19 pandemic causes shift in tourism trend, with travellers preferring nature-based tourism and open spaces. Head of Public Communications of the COVID-19 Task Force encourages tourism businesses to be innovative and accommodate the shifting trend in order to bounce back after being hit by the pandemic

Hotels in Mataram City fully booked ahead of the Mandalika World Superbike (WSBK) event. Out of 4,077 hotel rooms in Mataram, only 2,777 are available to use with the rest being utilised by a local mining enterprise as isolation facilities. Implementation of WSBK and Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup (IATC) event boosts tourism and economy in Mataram city, with expectations to generate 500 million IDR and 7,945 jobs

PeduliLindungi app has been used over 170 million times, with daily average reaching over 3 million usage. Coordinator for the enforcement of PPKM in the Java-Bali region urged vigilance as people’s discipline in using the app declines alongside the decline of COVID-19 cases

PPKM Level 3 to be implemented across all regions from 24 Dec to 2 Jan to restrict mobility and prevent a spike in cases. Celebrations that result in mass congregations will also be banned. Places of worship, shopping centers, restaurants, and cinemas will operate on a maximum 50% capacity with shopping centers closing at 9 pm

Bali to limit foreign arrivals to a maximum of 1,500 tourists per day during the year-end holiday season to prevent a 3rd wave of transmission, though no international flights have landed since 14 Oct reopening

Indonesia’s participation to Vaccinated Travel Lanes still under review as Jokowi urges ministries and agencies to analyze pandemic situation in other countries before initiating any travel agreements

Bali tightens CHSE (Cleanliness, Health, Safety & Environment Sustainability) protocols at 94 tourist attractions to prepare for year-end tourist arrivals

Acting Head of the Bali Tourism Office stated “efforts need to be made to achieve sustainable and quality cultural tourism in Bali”, emphasising the importance of the five pillars to build Bali tourism: academia, business, community, government, and media

PPKM in Java-Bali extended until 29 Nov as cases arise in 29% of districts and cities compared to the previous week, with mobility rising to the rates of the Eid al-Fitr holidays in May-June 2021. 26 districts and cities are currently at Level 1 PPKM, 61 are at Level 2, and 41 are at Level 3

Indonesian Government’s latest CHSE Event Protocol (CERPEN) campaign aim to revive tourism and event businesses by distributing CHSE guidebook to public and local media in Mandalika

Denpasar’s Head of Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) said foreign tourists are choosing Thailand over Bali due to Thailand having no quarantine restrictions

Bali Vice Governor considered the lack of direct long-distance flights and limited e-visa quota (1,500 per day) to be behind foreign tourists refraining from visiting Bali. As many as 20,000 passengers from major flights were unable to visit Bali in Nov due to restrictions on transit flights

The Bali governor has requested the government reduce the quarantine to one day for international visitors. He also clarified that some Japanese visitors will arrive into Bali by Garuda Indonesia later in Nov

The government has said that a bubble system for the Indonesia Badminton Festival which will be held in Bali, can be used as a model for other international sports competitions. Athletes are limited to certain areas

The government will not implement restrictions over the Christmas and New Year holidays, except by cancelling the joint leave day

: Jokowi has said that he will meet with the Singapore PM to discuss when the 2 countries can reopen to one another, which could be between Bintan-Singapore or Bali-Singapore. Indonesia will not “rush towards an endemic state”, and the move will happen when it is “really ready”

Indonesian Export Financing Agency (LPEI) to provide credit guarantees worth up to 100 billion IDR to Bali tourism businesses. LPEI Managing Director stated that banks are getting increasingly confident to extend credit to tourism businesses with COVID-19 cases decreasing and tourism recovering

Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to open up a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) between the two countries, Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur-Bali. The details have yet to be released

The Indonesian Ulema Council has ruled that cryptocurrency is not permitted under Islam, but digital asset trading would be permitted

Some hotels in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) have reported 100% occupancy on the weekend, ahead of the Mandalika World Superbike (WSBK) event

Mandalika Circuit inaugurated ahead of the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup (IATC) motorcycle-racing event and the Mandalika World Superbike (WSBK) event in mid-Nov

Google Mobility Data has shown that more Indonesians are visiting shopping malls and supermarkets, bouncing back to pre-pandemic levels

The first Gran Melia property in Lombok will open in 2024

The government is planning to allocate $300.1 million USD into the high-speed Jakarta-Bandung railway, so that its construction can continue

The Tourism Minister has stated that it wants to focus on “quality and sustainability type of tourism”, with the ”concept of personalise, customise, localise and smaller, much, much smaller in size tourism”. They want to extend the length of stay as part of this endeavour. The government is aiming to welcome 8-10 million international tourists by 2024, but say that it will take time to reach this level

The Tourism Minister has said that chartered flights in Bali could be a possibility, with scheduled flights after that. He also noted that there is a “lot of demand for the live on boat quarantine” scheme. He stated that with Indonesia set to host the G20 summit, the country has to be “very, very absolutely sure that the opening up of Bali would be done … on a safe and secure basis”

Indonesia has extended its PPKM implementation outside of Java-Bali from 9-22 Nov. 5 are at level 2, and the rest at level 1

The preparations for the World Superbike in Mandalika is now 100% complete. Ticket prices for the domestic market have also been adjusted to be more affordable

Tourism stakeholders in Bali have complained that government finance measures are not helping SMEs, and that the credit guarantees only benefit larger companies

Indonesia and the UAE have agreed to mutually recognise one another’s vaccination certificates, and to strengthen further their travel corridor agreement

The Bali Tourism Board has urged the government to reduce quarantine for international vaccinated visitors to just 1 day. They also reported that hotels have yet to receive international visitor bookings, and questioned the validity of the statement from the Bali governor that 20,000 hotel reservations have been made

20.35% of Bali’s working population have been impacted by COVID-19, and there are almost 49k unemployed people

: Indonesia’s GDP for Q3 2021 grew 3.51% YoY, a slowdown from Q2 2021’s growth of 7.07%. Bank Indonesia expect FY 2021 to have growth of 3.5-4.3%. The country’s unemployment rate in Aug 2021 stood at 6.49%

Tickets for the Superbike World Championship (WSBK) on 19-21 Nov are being sold at a price point much too expensive for local residents to be able to attend, Coconuts Bali has said

Bali tourism players such as Tanah Lot and Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park are feeling more optimistic about domestic tourists arriving, now that the RT-PCR requirement for air travellers has been waived

Indonesia and Singapore are working together on a Vaccinated Travel Lane, the Indonesian government has stated

4 international events will be held in Bali from the end of Nov: The 2021 Indonesian Badminton Festival, the 4th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 4) of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction and 4 G20 conferences

The quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated inbound air travellers has now changed to 3 days, instead of 5, whilst partially vaccinated passengers must quarantine for 5 days. The government will also offer a Live On Board (LOB) program in partnership with the Association of Leisure Boats Network, which will use 38 boats to provide quarantine facilities, and allows passengers to cruise around during the quarantine. The Tourism Minister stated that Indonesia is in talks with 8 low-risk countries to establish travel lanes, including Austria, Australia, Denmark, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Russia, the Netherlands, and Germany. The government is also preparing Benoa Port in Bali and the ports of Batam and Bintan, to be able to accept international arrivals

The Ministry of Tourism and one of the largest ride hailing companies in Bali have partnered together to support domestic tourism

6 villages in Badung, Bali, are designed new tourism villages

The Tourism Minister has said that the 2021 Mandalika World Superbike (WSBK) event in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) will mark a revival of tourism, with requests for tours already being received. 25,000 spectators will be permitted, and ticket sales have started already

Jakarta’s lockdown status will be downgraded to PPKM Level 1. This will allow 75% of office capacity for non-essential sectors, 100% of hospitality staff are permitted to work, and teaching can take place at 50%. Shops selling essential goods can open until 10pm, and restaurant capacity can expand to 75% and malls at 100%, with children under 12 years old permitted to enter

Bali will remain under PPKM Level 2 until 15 Nov

ASITA Bali has called for the government to stop its indecisiveness and changes for travel, noting that they show “that policy makers are uncoordinated, unequivocal, and inconsistent in making policies that ultimately harm the community”

The Indonesian Tourism Ministry has partnered with AXN Asia to launch a TV series, AXN Ultimate Challenge Indonesia. It will showcase Indonesia in 6 15-minute episodes

Jan-Sep international arrivals to Indonesia were -67% YoY, at just 1,185,482. Room occupancy in Indonesia in Sep was at 36.64%, with North Kalimantan showing the highest rate, and Bali just 9.46%

Traveloka is expanding its “buy now, pay later” technology ahead of its IPO, which is likely to take place in 2022. It is looking at expanding it to Thailand and Vietnam

Travellers in Java and Bali on road trips more than 250km or 4 hours, must show vaccination proof and have a negative test result

The Tourism Minister has said that it has proposed to open up Bali to 8 additional countries: Austria, Australia, Denmark, UK, Switzerland, Russia, Germany and the Netherlands

The Tourism Minister has said that the RT-PCR tests for air passengers has impacted the domestic arrivals to Bali, and that it had reached 10,000 pax, but had dropped down to 7,000 daily

Indonesia is in talks with Australia to open up a Vaccinated Travel Lane and cooperate to mutually recognise one another’s vaccination certificates

Research from Australian company Vacaay has shown that Bali is one of the top 10 searched destinations by Australians

Indonesia and India are discussing mutually recognising one another’s vaccination certificates

Jakarta has reopened some of its public parks, museums and zoos

The Vice Governor for Bali estimates that Bali could receive 10,000-12,000 domestic tourists per day over the Christmas and New Year break, and currently 6,500 are visiting daily

The US has lowered Indonesia’s risk level to Level 1 (low)

A study by Indonesia International Outdoor Festival (IIOUTFEST), the Archipelago Nature Tourism Centre Cooperative Services (KOPISETARA) and the BJB Bank showed 99% of respondents wanted to take adventure trips post-pandemic. Other statistics showed: • 72% spent 1-2 nights on holiday, 24% spent more than 2 nights • 25% spent between 250,000-500,000 IDR on each outdoor trip, 21% spent up to 1 million IDR and 31% more than 1 million IDR • 51% prefer glamping as their accommodation • 72% arrange their own trips by referring to information from social media, OTAs, and travel aggregators

More wildlife has been spotted in national parks since the pandemic

Australia has removed its “do not travel” advisory for Indonesia, and lowered its risk level to 2 from its previous 4

The Indonesian Halal Tourism Association is planning a new campaign, Wellness Tourism for Healthy and Prosperous Life, in Nov. It will offer training and workshops, focusing on wellness tourism

The government has scrapped the collective leave day on 24 Dec, as well as forbidden civil servants from taking leave during national holidays, to limit mobility over the year-end and stop the spread of COVID-19. It is urging the public to stay at home, and those who do travel must be vaccinated and have a negative RT-PCR test for air travel, or a negative antigen test for land travel

All travellers by air, land and sea will need to undergo an RT-PCR test, the government has announced. The cost for the RT-PCR tests will be lowered to 300,000 IDR, something the government has stated is one of the lowest rates in the world. The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment expects 19.9 million people in Bali and Java to travel over the year-end holidays, with 4.45 million of these around Jakarta

All Indonesians must undergo a 5-day mandatory quarantine on return to Indonesia, the government has stated

The Karangasem chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) has said that domestic tourists to Bali are cancelling their travel bookings after RT-PCR tests became mandatory for air travellers. The Bali governor has stated that he is in favour of the requirements

Indonesia has confirmed that the number of cases is increasing over the last 2 weeks, but is still within the safe limit set by the WHO

Jokowi stated during the ASEAN Business Summit that it was crucial for ASEAN to have a vaccinated travel corridor, and urged the region to establish one

Qantas has said that it discussions are underway with the Indonesian government to restart flights to Bali

Indonesia will allocate $645 million USD in its 2022 budget for tourism recovery, with 6.5 trillion IDR for central government spending and 2.8 trillion IDR for regional spend. It will be used to develop the 5 super priority destinations, and for the development of accessibility, attractions and tourist amenities. The Tourism Minister has said that Indonesia will focus on promoting “higher quality” tourism, and will promote the “spirit of sustainability”, and nature tourism

Children below 12 years old will be permitted to travel on all types of vehicles, so long as they have a negative test result

Jakarta has seen its restrictions eased to Level 2 PPKM from Level 3, as the first dose vaccine coverage exceeded 50%. It will run from 19 Oct-1 Nov

The 19 countries which have been selected for international arrivals have been carefully selected, according to the government, and are based on a positivity rate below 5%, and the number of COVID cases

Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to establish a travel corridor for essential business travel, the respective foreign ministers announced. They stated that it would be followed by academics, then tourists. No start date was given

The quarantine for international arrivals has been shortened from 8 to 5 days from 14 Oct. Travellers will need to undergo 2 RT-PCR tests – one on arrival, and the other on day 4 of quarantine. International visitors from 19 countries will be permitted to visit Indonesia via direct flights to Bali or Riau Islands: Bahrain, China, France, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates. They will need to have a visit visa, health insurance, hotel reservation and payment proof

Bali’s governor expects 100-200 international tourists per week to visit Bali under the month-long pilot reopening scheme. After the month, the government will assess whether to continue the program

There are no international flight scheduled to arrive into Bali on 14 Oct

The Tourism Minister has stated that Indonesia will develop medical tourism, with 15 class A and B hospitals in Greater Jakarta, Bali and Medan piloting the scheme. It will target the domestic market initially, whose pre-pandemic spend on medical tourism overseas totalled $11 billion USD. It will focus on 8+1 medical treatments, with medical tourism packages which will be launched in Nov. The trade urged the government to ensure that participating hospitals used digital processes, otherwise it would be “difficult to sell”

The Riau governor has said that there are no plans to cancel a travel bubble between the Riau Islands and Singapore, despite news reports stating this was the case

The PPKM outside of Java and Bali has been extended until 18 Oct, with no more provinces under Level 4, 4 under Level 3, 22 under Level 2 and 1 under Level 1

The head of the Tourism Office-Riau Islands has said that the government is aiming for Bintan to be the first travel bubble destination with Singapore, with Lagoi ready to reopen to international tourists. It will first be limited to 100 pax, and should any visitor fall sick, a direct evacuation to Singapore will be arranged

The Tourism Minister has said that Bali’s reopening will be discussed at the Coordinating Ministerial Meeting on 30 Sep. He commented that the conditions in Bali have shown a conductive situation

Many Tanah Lot Temple area vendors are choosing to stay closed, despite the temple being open, due to lacklustre numbers of visitors. The temple expected around 1,000 visitors per day, but are so far averaging at 300

Tourism businesses have been permitted to operate until midnight, with strict protocols in place

Indonesia now has the lowest number of daily infections per capita in ASEAN

Taking selfies without a face mask on is forbidden in tourist areas, the Tourism Minister has reminded visitors

The Bali Tourism Agency has stated that 4,300 domestic travellers are visiting Bali by air, an increase from the lows of 700-800 in Jun/ Jul. The most visited places include the beaches in Kuta, Legian and Pandawa

Bali is looking into collecting levies on the parking of tourist boats and yachts at the pier 12 miles offshore

78 hotels have registered as quarantine hotels for the reopening of Bali tourism

The Ministry of Tourism will collaborate with Pegipegi, with co-branding and data sharing on the CHSE scheme. Users will be able to filter hotels by their compliance with CHSE. Pegipegi will also promote the 5 super priority destinations

Jakarta will allow restaurants to operate until midnight, with 25% capacity

The government have announced that the 2022 public holiday and collective leave calendar will be regulated by the development of the pandemic

Jakarta will open its tourist attractions gradually. The focus is still on Phase 2 sites, including Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), and Setu Babakan. Other sites remain closed, and children below 12 are not permitted

The Bali Tourism Office has said that arrivals to Bali are now averaging around 4,300 per day, compared to Jun/ Jul’s 700-800

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decreased its 2021 GDP forecast for Indonesia to 3.5%, from a previous 4.5%. Its 2022 forecast has also been downgraded to 4.8% from 5%

The Deputy Governor of Bali has said that ensuring human and natural resources, as well as the welfare of Balinese residents, is essential to maintain sustainable tourism on the island

The National COVID-19 Task Force has attributed the increase in cases in Jul 2021 to domestic, rather than global, factors, including high mobility and social activities over Eid al-Fitr

As of 15 Sep, foreigners are permitted to visit Indonesia for business purposes

The Tourism Minister is looking to develop histourism, tourism centred around legends and dark tourism, as way to use storytelling for tourism promotion

The Ministry of Tourism hopes to create Lake Sentani in Papua province into an icon of Eastern Indonesia, as Lake Toba is for Western Indonesia

The Tourism Minister has clarified that the statement from the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs on not wanting backpacker tourism was more that the country does not want foreigners who do not generate a profit, and disrespect the local environment. However, he said there would be no backpacker ban, so long as they follow the rules

The national positivity rate of Indonesia is below 2%

The Bali Hotels Association (BHA) will hold a Sustainable Food Festival from 27 Sep-16 Oct at 30 member hotels. It will encourage the hotels to showcase their sustainability offerings which are ethically sourced, produced and disposed of

Indonesia recorded just 1,932 new daily cases on 20 Aug, a drop of 98% from their peak in Jul. its average positivity rate is below 4%

The PPKM Level 3 in Bali and Java will run until 4 Oct, with a 2-week, rather than 1-week extension. All regions in Bali and Java are now under Levels 3 and 2. Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya and Yogyakarta will allow a trial of permitting children under 12 into shopping malls

The Langham Jakarta has opened, the first Langham Hospitality Group property in Southeast Asia

Bali’s tourism stakeholders have been encouraged by the government to prepare for a tourism revival post-pandemic

The Deputy Governor of Bali has proposed to the central government that soft loans be extended to tourist stakeholders

On property sites such as Lamudi, there are over 600 hotels in Bali up for sale

Lovina Beach in Bali is still empty, despite reopening under strict protocols

Indonesia has outlined its 3-stage tourism recovery plan. Phase 1 (2021-2022) will see a focus on domestic tourism, and driving digital transformation, as well as ensuring that CHSE protocols are in place. It will also look at travel bubble arrangements and work with government agencies to prepare for the reopening of destinations. Phase 2 (2022-2024) would see tourism villages being promoted to drive community-based tourism. The government will boost the industry’s resilience and facilitate collaboration between e-commerce players and banks. Phase 2 (2024-2029) would be an acceleration phase, with quality tourism promoted, wellness and adventure products, more marketing campaigns and a strengthening of the value chain

Indonesia reported 1,932 daily cases on 20 Sep, the lowest since Aug 2020

The Nest Group Indonesia has launched the Nest Virtual Convention Centre, the first virtual venue

The Head of the Travel Conscious Group (Pokdarwis) has complained about inconsistent government policies

Foreigners with valid visas and residence permits will be permitted to re-enter Indonesia once more, as will those holding APEC Business Travel cards as of 15 Sep

Bali is preparing SOPs for reopening to international tourists, which it hopes to complete by the end of Sep

Around 50 hotels in Bali are interested in becoming quarantine locations, and 5-10 hotels have been proposed as centralised isolation facilities

Singapore Airlines has clarified that it has not yet made plans to reinstate flights to Bali, despite an Indonesian official claiming that its Singapore-Bali flight will reopen in Nov

Medical tourism will be launched un Surabaya on 27 Sep as a pilot project

The Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs has said that as the R-0 has fallen below 1, hospital bed occupancy and positivity rates have fallen, “we are very confident” that Bali could be reopened by Oct. The government is looking at South Korea, Japan, Singapore and New Zealand as potential source markets first. These visitors would still need to serve quarantine. He cautioned that the country is “not in a big rush to make Indonesia 100% open”. Indonesia will also monitor Singapore’s latest outbreak with regards to opening up the Riau Islands

The National COVID-19 taskforce spokesperson has said that foreigners may be able to visit Indonesia once 50-70% of the target population were fully vaccinated, likely to be in 2022. However, on 14 Sep, the Health Minister said that borders would be reopened once 70% of the population had received their first dose, likely in Nov

Indonesia is in talks with the WHO to become a global hub for the manufacturing of vaccines

Indonesia will permit foreigners with valid Indonesian visas and stay permits to enter the country. Visitors must enter certain gateways only, and have health insurance valid for their stay

Jakarta is planning to redevelop the urban centres in Cikini, Monas and Pasar Baru to focus on urban tourism through their historical sites. The city is creating a tourism package with local hotels and tour guides to promote this

The Riau Island Tourism Office has said that they are preparing an MoU to be sent to Singapore, allowing Singaporeans to visit Lagoi. A tracking system has already been set up for the area, as well as medical system

The government will use vaccination rates as an indicator for assessing the COVID restrictions nationwide. Cities and regencies under PPKM Level 3 will need to vaccinate 50% of their general population and 40% of the elderly population with at least one dose to be able to progress to PPKM Level 2

Jokowi has urged Indonesians to adapt to coexisting with COVID-19

The government is making it a requirement for international travellers to use the PeduliLindungi app to enter Indonesia. Every operator of international transportation to enter Indonesia will also need to use it

The government has set a target for 2022 GDP growth of 5.2%

A new cryptocurrency token, “Baby Bali Token”, has launched, with the aim of helping to boost the tourism industry. It is developing a blockchain marketplace platform for tourism which would allow people to book their accommodation and transport, as well as enjoy promotions

The Bali Indonesian Chamber of Commerce has reported a 10X increase in tourist visits since Bali’s downgrading from PPKM Level 4 to PPKM Level 3. Visitors have increased from 600 to 2,500-4,500 daily

More than 3,000 QR codes for the PeduliLindungi app have been installed across Bali for reopening tourist attractions

The Bali Chamber of Commerce for Accommodation and Tourism Development has said that hotel occupancy on he island is in single digits

The Indonesian Tourism Minister has said that tourism areas should reach 70% vaccination before reopening, and has suggested creating a Phuket, Langkawi and Bali tourism “triangle”

The Tourism Minister has said that Bali’s economic activities are starting to grow once more

20 tourist destinations in major cities across Indonesia are trialling opening up using the PeduliLindungi app, which will be monitored on a weekly basis

A retired Boeing 737-200 plane is being placed in South Kuta as a new tourist attraction

The government has clarified that all international travellers will be welcomed to Indonesia when borders do open, despite the statement from the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs earlier which had said that the country would be selective in allowing quality international travellers in, potentially turning their back on backpackers

Bali has been downgraded to PPKM Level 3, after a drop in new infections

The Tourism Ministry forecasts that there will be 1.5 international arrivals in 2021 by the year-end, generating $0.36 billion USD in foreign exchange. It would be based on reopening 18 priority destinations, and the Riau Islands

Indonesia is questioning the accuracy of RT-PCR tests from Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and the UAE, after having many travellers arrive and test positive, despite having negative RT-PCR tests from there

The Ministry of Tourism will focus on domestic tourists in 2021, preparing destinations for strict protocols

STR data has shown that Yogyakarta is catching up with occupancy levels of Surabaya and Solo, with weekend occupancy of 20% since early Aug

Yogyakarta will strengthen its checkpoints for interregional tourists to check their vaccination and test certificates

Borobudur and Prambanan Temple will reopen, using the PeduliLindungi app

The NTB chapter of ASTINDO is positive about the World Superbike competition taking place from 12-14 Nov in Mandalika, as it will present a chance to sell eco-tourism packages

Bali has eased its entrance requirements for those entering by air. From 7 Sep, fully vaccinated travellers from outside Java can use an antigen test, rather than an RT-PCR test

Tourist attractions and shopping malls in Bali have begun to reopen with capacity restrictions. Visitors must also show proof of their vaccination with the PeduliLindungi app

The Association of Indonesian Tourism Industries has reported that Indonesians are “eagerly awaiting for the opening of tourist destinations”

The Health Ministry has said that COVID cases and deaths are declining for the fourth consecutive week. Indonesia’s testing has now reached 3.07 people per 1,000 population per week, higher than the WHO-recommended 1.0 rate. Positivity also decreased to 10%

Ancol Beach Park and Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) are set to reopen on 10 Sep to domestic vaccinated tourists

68 Bali hotels have entered bankruptcy, according to the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Bali chapter

Indonesia’s consumer confidence index dropped to 77.3 in Aug from Jul’s 80.2

Kuta Beach in Bali has now reopened to the public at 50% capacity under a pilot program. Only those who are fully vaccinated can visit

Tourist attractions will be allowed to reopen under PPKM Level 3 as a trial. Children under the age of 12 will not be permitted, and all employees and visitors must be vaccinated

The Tourism Ministry has said that Bali’s reopening would follow the Phuket Sandbox model, and preparations are still ongoing. As for the date, it is still not decided yet, as it is waiting for better COVID control

Agoda has revealed that 42% of Indonesians take short trips, 37% want to explore new local tourist destinations and 30% want to seek experiences as part of their accommodation. 27% see accommodation as the destination, not just a place to sleep

The Indonesian National Police have confirmed that there has been no leak in data from the Electronic Health Alert Card (eHAC) system

The Tourism Ministry has dedicated a budget of 298 billion IDR which will be used to provide accommodation for health workers, and will be coordinated with hospitals and hotels

Bali’s government has asked the government for the 9.4 trillion IDR in soft loans previously promised to help the tourism sector

Indonesia is still aiming to vaccinate 70% of the population in each province by the end of 2021, including West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) which is scheduled to hold the World Superbike event

The Minister of Tourism is looking to develop medical, fitness and herbal tourism products in Bali, Jakarta and Medan, and later in other destinations, too

Only small areas of Java will remain under PPKM Level 4, with the majority under PPKM Level 3. However, Bali will remain under PPKM Level 4, and authorities estimate it may take another week to be able to be downgraded to Level 3. Dining in at restaurants under PPKM Level 3 will not be permitted for up to an hour

The Minister for Tourism has said that they are considering allowing Bali to act as an entry point for international passengers into Indonesia

The Bali Provincial Tourism Office has expressed hope that a reopening pilot on a limited scale could take place for Bali. They also hoped that a plan could be announced at least 30 days before border reopening, to give the trade time to prepare

The Public Works and Public Housing Ministry is aiding 50 house renovations in 2 tourist villages in Papua, to beautify the villages, and improve the residents’ quality of life

The Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister believes that quality tourism workers are the key to developing Labuan Bajo as a super priority tourism destination

Komodo dragons have been officially listed as “endangered”

14 hotels in Denpasar, Bali, have permanently closed down, and 70 have been temporarily closed, the Denpasar Regional Tourism Agency have reported

Bed occupancy in Jakarta’s hospitals has dropped from 90% in Jun to 15%, whilst ICU usage dropped to 31%

The positivity rate has dropped to 4.3% in Jakarta

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas plan to open its 3rd resort on Bali, the Anantara Ubud Bali Resort, slated to open mid-2022

The Ministry of Health has reported that the trend for new cases is declining by 25% compared to the previous week, and that positivity rates have also declined

The government has stated that Bali still has the most “red zones” in the country, with 6 of its 9 regions classified as red zones

Sea transport departures from Bali dropped in Jul by 33.28% MoM in Jul

Private jet firm Indojet Sarana Aviasi has said that the use of private jets has doubled in 2021 vs 2020. 90% of the traffic is domestic, and 10% to international destinations such as Singapore, Malaysia and Australia

The Tourism & Creative Economy Minister hopes that the PON National Games XX to be held in Oct 2021 in Papua will revive tourism and encourage the growth of sports tourism

The Bali chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) have said that 48 hotels have been sold, with 41 in Badung

More than 2 million jobs in the creative industry and tourism sector were in danger of being lost, the Tourism Ministry has said

Indonesia is looking into a suspected security flaw in its eHAC app, used by travellers, which may have exposed their personal information

Jokowi has called for “special handling” of Bali’s COVID situation, as it is still categorised as Level 4

Some of the factors which the COVID-19 Task Force look at to decide on a region’s PPKM Level include the number of those infected, if the positivity rate has increased or decreased, and if the Bed Occupancy Ratio has decreased

The Tourism & Creative Economy Ministry has said that Bali’s average hotel occupancy in Jul & Aug is at 10%, its lowest level

16 hotels in Denpasar, Bali, have permanently closed down, and 141 accommodations are temporarily closed, the Denpasar City Tourism Office have reported

The Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority Board (BPOLBF) is planning to develop 4 tourism development zones in 400 hectares of the Labuan Bajo Bowosie Forest. These will be integrated with the Komodo National Park and Labuan Bajo City tourism area. The zones will include cultural, leisure, wildlife and adventure, with a cultural centre, tourism research centre, hotels, tourist villages, glamping sites and a cable car

East Flores Regency Government is encouraging the development of sustainable tourism through its tourist villages

The Indonesian Hotel & Restaurant Association (PHRI) Badung has proposed that Bali can be used as an inbound airport for business travellers visiting Indonesia. They are also proposing that the Travel Corridor Arrangement (TCA) is trialled with a limited market

The Tourism & Creative Economy Ministry want to implement 3 strategies: innovation, adaptation and collaboration. They are also focusing on upskilling tourism workers with digital skills

Jakarta reopened 610 schools on 30 Aug out of its 10,000, at 50% capacity

More parts of Java will have their PPKM Level reduced to 3, and restaurants in malls will be permitted to serve at 50% capacity, with shopping malls open until 9pm from 31 Aug-6 Sep

Jokowi has warned that trends for cases has declined, but Indonesians must still remain disciplined to avoid another spike in cases. From 31 Aug-6 Sep, more areas will transition to Level 3, including Greater Malang and Greater Solo

The Ministry of Tourism has said that medical tourism will be one of the programs on which they will focus on. They plan to develop Jakarta, Medan and Bali as health tourism destinations

The Indonesian Inbound Operators Association (IINTOA) is urging Jokowi to grant financial assistance for its members, including grants and soft loans

The government is preparing an endemic COVID-19 strategy

Mandalika will host the MotoGP pre-season test from 11-13 Feb 2022

The Aceh Culinary Festival was held online from 27-29 Aug, promoting tourism and culture

Indonesia has warned that an earlier rainy season, starting in Sep, may cause more natural disasters in 2021

The government has said that Jakartan residents’ mobility fell by 30% after the implementation of Level 4 PPKM

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MoTCE) has said that providing soft loans to Bali tourism players was not approved. The Ministry had pushed for 10 trillion IDR of soft loans, but the government will provide just 2.6 trillion IDR for assistance

The Tourism Ministry has said that the vaccination rates of Bali, Bintan and Batam will be closely linked to the opening of travel corridor arrangements, with a 75-80% target. Indonesia plans to complete that target by the end Sep, with 95% of tourism players vaccinated. The Tourism Minister is “optimistic that by the end of the third or fourth quarter, we can begin a trial run to open our borders”

Bali will not be permitted to be used as an inbound destination for essential travellers, a move which the Tourism Ministry has said is to protect the island’s reopening plans. Instead, “the opening of Bali is a symbol of our awakening”, and he hopes that it can be carried out a few months before the G20 kick off in Nov 2022, or at least Q3

Jakarta will allow places of worship to reopen at 50% capacity under its downgrade to Level 3 PPKM

Schools will be permitted to start limited face-to-face learning in Jakarta, with attendance at 50%

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MoTCE) has cut its destination marketing campaigns after its annual budget was cut by 41.3% to $140 million USD. This will impact its overseas marketing campaigns, as well as 19 of its Visit Indonesia Tourism Officers (VITOs). In-person meetings, road shows and domestic and international business trips have also been cut, and fam trips for overseas participants will be put on hold. The VITOs have warned that cutting its budget will mean “losing the competitive edge” against other destinations, as well as market intelligence

Jokowi has confirmed that the government is still pursuing its plan to relocate the capital to East Kalimantan

The use of PeduliLindungi app will be made essential at all airports, ports, terminals and stations from 28 Aug, to be able to comply with health and safety requirements. The app will display vaccine certificates and swab test results digitally, minimising the risk of forgeries

Many regions have now seen their PPKM level lowered, with 10 regencies in Java reaching PPKM Level 2. Greater Jakarta, Greater Bandung, Greater Surabaya, Greater Semarang, and Banten are all designated Level 3

Selayar Islands will develop its marine tourism thanks to its shipwrecks. The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry have given the island facilities such as compressors to fill diving tubes

Cases in Bali have started to decline

The Health Minister has stated 3 strategies to coexist with COVID-19, including technology-based health protocols, testing and tracing programs and treatment. Testing and tracing will no longer be a mass program, but will be applied for suspected patients and people who have been in close contact with positive patients

The Minister of Tourism and the Creative Economy supports the plan to require the use of the PeduliLindungi app for entrance to tourist destinations. He sees that tourist destinations will be reopened gradually

The government has said that herd immunity will be difficult to achieve after the Delta variant has emerged

Indonesia surpassed 4 million cumulative cases of COVID-19 on 24 Aug

Nusa Penida is looking at developing master plans for promoting its 9 attractions

Indonesia will produce 2 types of vaccine in 2022, the Red and White, locally-developed vaccine, in Q2 2022, and a mRNA vaccine in Apr 2022 in conjunction with Chinese companies

The Minister of Tourism and the Creative Economy has urged local hotel owners not to sell their assets and lose out, or else employment opportunities in Indonesia could decrease, and the ministry is working together with these owners to find the solutions to support them

Indonesia will permit more reopening of the economy in Jakarta and Bali from 24 Aug. This includes allowing places of worship to reopen at 25%, shopping malls at 50%

Jakarta’s deputy governor has said that Jakarta has reached “herd immunity” and is a “green zone”. More than 54% of the population are fully vaccinated

Bali, Malang Raya, Solo Ray and Yogyakarta will maintain their Level 4 PPKM status until 30 Aug, but the government expects it to drop to Level 3 in the next few weeks

Bali Tourism Agency has reported that Bali has seen just 500 domestic travellers per day since the lockdown started in Jun 2021. Prior to the Emergency PPKM, it saw 7,000-10,000 per day

The government has urged 10 provinces to intensify testing and tracing: Aceh Darussalam, North Sumatra, West Java, Central Java, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, West Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua

The decline in new cases has been thanks to the imposition of PPKM Levels 1-4, the government has said. There has also been a decrease in the hospital bed occupancy

Bali’s Deputy Governor has said that it hopes that Bali could become a quarantine destination for those who want to enter Indonesia. The COVID-19 Task Force is considering the suggestion

The visitor capacity at shopping malls will be increased to 50% from next week, and dine-in will be permitted at 25% capacity, with a maximum of 2 per table

The government has warned that there could be an increase in cases over the next 3 weeks, after seeing an increase in mobility amongst the general public

Indonesia’s draft state budget assumes that Indonesia’s economy will mostly reach pre-pandemic levels only in 2022, with a GDP 2022 growth of 5.5%

West Sumatra has proposed 9 new geosites, some of which will be proposed to be included in the UNESCO Global Geopark Network

Jokowi has ordered that the price of PCR tests be lowered to 495,000 IDR in Java and Bali, and 525,000 IDR in other provinces

The Tourism Minister has said that domestic tourism should be optimised, whilst international borders are closed. He wants to achieve a growth of 2.39% between now and the year-end through the 3 Gs: Gercep (move fast), Geber (move together), Gaspol (optimize every potential)

Indonesia will continue with its infrastructure project on Rinca Island in Komodo National Park, despite UNESCO calls for it to be stopped

Indonesia recorded 15,768 cases on 18 Aug, the lowest since 23 Jun

Jakarta’s positivity rate has fallen below 10%, and is moving towards the WHO goal of 5%, the governor has said

The Grand Bali Beach Hotel in Sanur has been turned into a quarantine facility for asymptomatic patients, and will be able to accommodate 250 patients

The Minister of Tourism sees mega shifts for the tourism industry including technology, regulation, economic and environmental areas. Macro shifts include the tourism industry being shaped by hygiene, low-touch, less crowded and low mobility. Micro shifts include social solidarity and stay-at-home lifestyles. They are also considering introducing vaccine tours to Bali, which would allow foreigners to receive the Sinovac vaccine on a 14-day tour

The Minister of Tourism has stated that Indonesia is still in travel bubble talks with the UAE, Qatar, Singapore, China and the Netherlands. The preparations and policies for the Bali Travel Corridor Arrangement is still underway

PPKM Level 4 has been extended from 16-23 Aug for Java and Bali

Indonesia’s digital economy grew by 11% in 2020 to $44 billion USD

Jokowi in his State of the National Address, has said that the government’s tightening and loosening of lockdowns may be interpreted as inconsistent, but is the right path to strike a balance between the economy and public health. He forecast that Indonesia’s GDP will see growth of 5-5.5% in 2022 vs 2021’s 3.7-4.5% growth

Mt Merapi erupted on 16 Aug, with clouds of ash spreading 3.5km

Jakarta has only 7 RTs which are classified as red zones, 349 as orange zones and 24,011 are green, meaning that overall Jakarta can be considered a green zone

The National Hospital will support medical tourism development with the Bali Medical Tourism Association (BMTA)

The central government has criticised the Bali government for its handling of COVID. They urged Bali to focus on optimising a centralised quarantine program for asymptomatic patients at government facilities, optimising tracing and testing and reducing religious activities

The number of fully vaccinated medical workers in Jakarta who contracted COVID-19 increased 5X in 3 months, the majority from the Delta variant

The Health Ministry has defended its relatively high price for RT-PCR tests after receiving criticism

The government has clarified rules for entering Indonesia, including that Indonesian citizens arriving from abroad may enter, but foreigners are not permitted, except those under the Travel Corridor Arrangement or with express permission. International travellers will need to be fully vaccinated, and those arriving into the country who are not will be vaccinated at quarantine sites once they have received their 2nd negative RT-PCR test result during quarantine, including for diplomats, those aged 12-17 years old and Permanent or Limited Stay Permit cards

Tiket.com has seen a 7X increase YoY in transactions in Q2 2021. Demand was boosted by the Idul Fitri holiday, as well as the government’s easing of restrictions. It saw a 4X increase in flight tickets, and 6X in accommodation bookings

The Tourism Minister sees 3 strategies to restore tourism: innovation, adaptation and collaboration

The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry and the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) will collaborate to launch an anti-radicalisation program, focusing on developing tourism and the creative economy to stop radicalism. These involve tourist villages, and skills development, and two areas will be focused on initially: East Java and West Nusa Tenggara

Indonesia is preparing guidelines for co-existing with COVID-19, with long-term strategies

Indonesia has extended its PPKM measures in Java and Bali until 16 Aug, but will ease them in 26 areas. Malls will be permitted to reopen at 25% capacity for vaccinated people Restrictions in areas outside Bali and Java will be extended until 23 Aug, as cases increased in these areas

The government has excluded the daily death numbers from its indicators to designate a region a certain PPKM Level, saying that it has “distorted” assessments

The Tourism Minister has encouraged local games developers to include icons from Indonesia’s tourism and culture, including the five priority tourism destinations

The government will prepare a revision of its Environmental Impact Analysis for Komodo National Park to UNESCO by Sep 2021

The CHSE certification program has now seen 4,771 applications, and the Ministry of Tourism is targeting 8,000

The Bank of Indonesia has urged Bali to stop relying on the tourism sector post-COVID

Indonesia’s retail sales slowed in Jun, with an increase of 2.5% YoY vs May’s 14.7% YoY growth

Some hotels and restaurants across Indonesia have been raising white flags as a sign of defeat against the latest PPKM Level 3 and 4 lockdowns. The Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) National Board has said that in 2020 hotel occupancy was at 30-40%, and room rates dropped by 30-40%, but they still had savings. However, in 2021, hotels have run out of funds, and 60% of hotel staff have been made redundant

Jakarta is targeting holding its debut Formula E race in June 2022

Sandiaga Uno, the Tourism Minister, has forecast an explosion of tourist activity after the PPKM due to pent-up demand. He hopes that the tourism and creative economy can expand 2.39% in H2 2021, to be able to reabsorb the workforce

Jakarta has now applied a new decree which will mandate people to have at least one vaccine dose before being able to enter shopping centres or malls, both for visitors and employees

The F&B and accommodation sector in Q2 registered 21.58% growth, whilst in Q1 it was -7.28%

Indonesia has received 15,000 oxygen concentrators from donors, and is trying to procure 50,000 in total

The Ministry of Tourism has called on tourism schools to stay innovative and productive, despite the pandemic

The government has said that it will receive 300 million doses between Aug-Dec, and is strategizing how to roll these out

Trip.com have donated 130 oxygen concentrators

Indonesia recorded a GDP growth of 7.07% in Q2, emerging from a 5 quarter recession. However, many economists are still revising down their forecasts for 2021 verall

Ulundanu Beratan Temple in Bali has been unable to pay its employees or overhead costs since the Emergency PPKM was implemented at the start of Jul

The World Heritage Committee has said that Indonesia must review tourism development projects in areas such as Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara and Borobudur Temple in Yogyakarta. They also stated that the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra is on the list of World Heritage in Danger, as it is threatened by road developments

Indonesia has reported that deaths amongst the unvaccinated are three times higher than those who were vaccinated

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) has said that Jakarta’s MICE industry was forecast to drop more than 95%. This drop also impacts multiple sectors, including food, transportation and health

Traveloka is said to be in discussions to raise up to $400 million USD in a US listing, by merging with a SPAC. This merger would value Traveloka at $5 billion USD

Indonesia plans to strengthen its pandemic efforts on the ground, rather than rely on vaccinations to control COVID-19, the government has said. It is targeting to reach an R-0 of 0.9 by Oct, which would allow overall numbers to be reduced, and is aiming to give 2.5 million vaccines daily in Aug

Indonesia has now recorded over 100,000 deaths due to the pandemic

The Bali Statistics Center has reported that Bali’s international visitors in H1 2021 have dropped 99.99% YoY, with just 43 visitors

3 regions have seen an increase in cases over the past 3 weeks: Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi

The Tourism Ministry is working to streamline aid distribution for tourism businesses. They are working on a data collection app which will support the collection of potential aid recipients

The government has created a roadmap for COVID-management, including testing 500k people per day, and reducing the infection rate by 25% in Jun-Jul, until the positivity rate falls below 5% in Oct-Dec, and occupancy rate of hospitals to be under 50% in Oct and Nov

International arrivals to Indonesia in Jun were just 140,850, -10.04% YoY, and -7.71% MoM

The government has said that it targets gradually reopening the economy in Sep. It believes that the peak of cases has now been reached

The Tourism Minister has said that the government will prioritise the ecosystem of Komodo National Park in its infrastructure development. The area will also continue to be developed for the G20 summit in 2022

A new report by Inventure-Advira, Indonesia Industry Outlook 2nd Semester, 2021: Consumer Megashifts Post Vaccine, has shown that 71% of travellers post-pandemic would not choose to travel over long weekends for health reasons, 83% would spend their holiday at a tourism village, and many would seek out CHSE certified facilities. 60% wanted business events to be held in person once the vaccination rolls out

The current lockdown restrictions will be extended until 9 Aug, with the majority of all cities and regencies who were previously under PPKM Level 4 to remain under the same restrictions. It will be imposed on Java, Bali and 45 cities and regencies in 21 provinces

Bali’s hospital bed occupancy is manageable, with 71.77% occupied according to the Bali Health Agency

The Health Ministry has said that the Delta variant is dominant throughout Indonesia

The Tourism Minister expects that once the pandemic ends, many tourists will want to visit tourist villages in remote parts of Indonesia

Over 20 million Indonesians are now fully vaccinated

PPKM Level 4 will be implemented not only on Java and Bali islands, but also in 45 districts in 21 provinces on Sumatra, Kalimantan, Papua, Sulawesi, Maluku and Nusa Tenggara

The Tourism Minister has said that he would give tour packages to frontline health workers as a reward once the pandemic ends. The Minister suggested that these could be ASEAN packages offered through a travel corridor arrangement with Malaysia and Singapore, which could create new jobs and maximise regional tourism

Yachts and cruise ships used for tourism will be exempted from a 75% luxury tax, in a move to boost marine tourism

Jokowi has said that the current situation in Indonesia is a “semi lockdown”, and people across the country are calling for a reopening

Some residents who are being displaced by the Mandalika MotoGP circuit claim that they have not been compensated properly for their land

The COVID-19 Handling Task Force has said that Indonesians will need to accept COVID-19 as endemic, and society must learn to “coexist with the virus”, and strict observance of protocols by the public is crucial

Traveloka has planted 10,000 mangrove seedlings in the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (KEK), to support ecotourism

The IMF has revised its 2021 GDP forecast for Indonesia to 3.9%, 0.4% lower than its Apr forecast

Bali has been chosen as a pilot destination for the Making Cities Resilience (MCR) 2030 scheme

Indonesia has recorded one third of its total COVID-related deaths so far in just Jul

The Lapor Covid-19 data monitoring group has stated that Indonesia’s regional deaths outnumber its national tally, meaning the actual total deaths could be much higher

Bali’s hospitals are starting to fill up, and has reported record highs of 1,452 cases and 44 deaths

Indonesia reported 2,069 deaths on 27 Jul , a new record

Bali has been advised to look at 4 potential areas of tourism to develop longer-term: medical, maritime, MICE and digital nomads

The Ministry of Transportation has clarified that train passengers from/ to Level 3/4 PPKM areas must be vaccinated with at least one dose, and have a negative RT-PCR certificate within 48 hours of departure or antigen test within 24 hours. Those to/ from Level 1/2 PPKM must show a negative certificate, and travellers under the age of 12 are temporarily not permitted

MSMEs in Indonesia’s 10 priority destinations are being guided by the Digital Economy Directorate, Informatics Application Directorate General, and the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) to become more digitally-savvy with a 6-month assistance. This includes facilitator guidance, training centres, data package aid, marketplace aggregator apps, POS and online learning apps for 26,000 businesses

Bali has now implemented a Level 4 PPKM with some leeway, including allowing traditional markets to sell non-essential products at 50% capacity, small businesses allowed to operate until 9pm, restaurants permitted to provide dine-in for a maximum of 30 minutes per customer and at 25% capacity

1,871 tourism businesses in Bali have received the CHSE certificate. All hotels in Nusa Dua have received one

Bali has assigned 28 hotels to act as quarantine locations for when domestic and international flights reopen to the island. The majority of these are in the green zones

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) has suggested that malls mandate visitors to show their vaccine certificate to be permitted entry, so that the retail sector can resume

The Jakarta governor has said that the situation is improving in Jakarta, with a decline in cases, but “it is still not over yet”

Bali will start to produce its own oxygen supply from Aug

The Indonesia Halal Tourism Association (IHTA) has said that it is strengthening Indonesia’s Muslim friendly offering, including launching unique travel products such as nature-based and wellness, glamping resorts and community-based tourism villages. They are also looking at launching the Syariah Quadrathlon, which will be aimed at domestic participants, and later on international ones. The Ministry of Tourism has created an I Do Care Plus campaign, which combines the CHSE protocols with halal travel values, and will be piloted in four regencies in West Java

The Ministry of Tourism is aiming to disburse its grant of 2.4 trillion IDR by the end of Jul, which has been reallocated from the Proud Tourism campaign

One of the major Jakarta COVID-19 facilities, Wisma Atlet, has now had over half of its capacity empty, in a positive sign of bed occupancy declining

The government has said that Indonesia’s current oxygen requirements are 2,500 tons per day, whilst their production capacity is 1,700 tons. They will be receiving 17,000 donated oxygen concentrators, and are planning to buy 20,000 more

The Bali Villa Association has said that many domestic tourists have cancelled villa bookings, and the situation continues to get worse

The average hotel occupancy in Bali is 1-2%, according to the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Badung. They commented that hotels will be bound to make more staff redundant, and many tourism workers have been sent home. As of early Jul, at least 48 hotels in Bali have been sold, with 41 of these in Badung

The Batam/ Bintan-Singapore travel corridor plans have been delayed due to the rise in cases, the Indonesian Tourism Ministry has said, but “when the situation gets more conducive, we will resume it quickly”

Indonesia is preparing more ICUs, with deaths rising due to full hospitals, patients admitted with low oxygen saturation or dying in self-isolation unmonitored

The PPKM Level 4 restrictions will be extended until 2 Aug, with some additional easing of measures. Traditional markets selling non-esential items are permitted to open at 50% capacity until 3pm, whilst small businesses can also open until 9pm. Outdoor food stalls can stay open until 8pm, with diners eating for a maximum of 20 minutes. Under Level 3 restrictions, malls can operate with a maximum capacity of 25% until 5pm

The head of Bali’s health agency has said that the island’s oxygen supply shortage is becoming critical due to the increase in cases

Angkasa Pura II has implemented the government’s restriction on the entry of foreigners from entering or transiting Indonesia, with some exceptions

Jokowi has said that restrictions could be eased from next week if cases continue to drop, despite the fact that testing rates have also dropped, which epidemiologists have said make it difficult to understand if there has been a true drop , and positivity rates have averaged 28.7% in the last week

Indonesia reported a record high of 1,566 deaths

Indonesia has launched a bid to win the 2036 Olympics, after losing out on the 2032 Olympics to Brisbane

The budget for the Proud to Go Travelling to Indonesia (Bangga Berwisata) of 2.4 trillion IDR has been reallocated to help tourism businesses, amongst other initiatives

Private hospitals in Bali have reportedly been rejecting patients due to an unreliable oxygen supply

Indonesia’s confirmed cases have dropped by around 40% in the last week, according to the government, whilst the cure rate increased by 70^%. Hospital occupancy beds have also decreased from a national average of 76.26% to 72.8%. However, they noted that testing needs to be improved, and the death rate has increased

The WHO has urged Indonesia to enact stricter and wider prevention measures to limit transmission

The government has said that it will roll out mass testing, tracing, treatment and vaccinations across several areas of the country

Indonesia has banned all foreign workers on national strategic projects and those reuniting for family union from entering the country. The only foreigners permitted entry include holders of diplomatic visas or residence permits, medical and humanitarian workers, or transportation workers, all with government permission

The Emergency PPKM has been extended for 5 more days in Java and Bali until 25 Jul, but some leniency will be given to each provincial governor to decide on the policies

Indonesia’s cases have now crossed the 3 million mark

Bali reported 1,250 new cases on 22 Jul, a record high

All provinces of Java Island, as well as Bali, are under Level 4 PPKM

The Tourism Minister has called on tourism and creative economy businesses to focus on digitalisation

United Media Asia has entered a strategic partnership with Hollywood agency Creative Artists Agency, with plans to build a large-scale film and TV production facility in Bali, according to the Hollywood Reporter

The electricity bill subsidy for consumers and businesses will be extended until the year-end

Jembrana Regency in Bali will refuse to implement the Emergency PPKM if it is extended, as they do not believe it is effective in controlling the spread

Saudi Arabia has banned direct or indirect travel of its citizens to Indonesia

The Emergency PPKM is being replaced with Levels 1-4 PPKM. Levels 3 and 4, the highest, will have similar restrictions to the Emergency PPKM, requiring all non-essential workers to work from home, malls be shut and restaurants only serve takeaway and delivery. Levels 1 and 2 restrictions have not yet been defined. A region is defined as Level 4 if it has 100 cases per 150k people, 30 hospitalisations per 100k people, or 5 deaths per 100k people. Level 3 is 50 cases per 150k people, 10-30 hospitalisations per 100k people, or 2-5 deaths per 100k people

Bali has eased some of its Level 3 PPKM restrictions, including allowing non-essential businesses to operate at 25% until 9pm, and restaurants and food sellers until 9pm

MICE players in Jakarta are calling for the reinstatement of the Jakarta Convention and Exhibition Bureau (JCEB), to allow the city to better market itself as a MICE destination and win bids

An agreement has reportedly been signed between Paramount Pictures and Jembrana regency to build the biggest theme park in Southeast Asia. The soft launch is estimated in 2025, and expected to attract 5 million visitors annually

2 emergency COVID hospitals have started operations in Bali, whilst 4 opened in Yogyakarta

The Tourism Minister has said that Indonesia’s visa-free rules may need to be adjusted, as it has no reciprocity from many countries

The government will increase the pre-employment card budget by 10 trillion IDR, to allow 2.8 million more participants

The government is still discussing whether to extend the Emergency PPKM, the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister has said, despite claims from the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister who said on Friday that it would be extended

Indonesia has reported a record number of doctor deaths in the first half of Jul, with 114 deaths, more than 20% of the total doctor’s deaths since the start of the pandemic

Bed occupancy in Jakarta at hospitals is starting to stabilise thanks to additional capacity

Nusa Dua in H1 2021 saw 79,000 visitors, an increase from H1 2020’s 28,170 visitors. The increase is thought to have been generated by the Work from Bali program, as well as other schemes. In Jun, its occupancy rate increased to 19.88%

Non-essential travel has been banned for a week from 17 Jul to prevent transmission over Eid Al-Adha

The government is working together with private companies to ensure the supply of medical oxygen to the country

Indonesia has reported record deaths of 1,025 on 16 Jul

The government has said that it is “very possible” that the Emergency PPKM will be extended after 20 Jul, and that they don’t believe that 2 weeks is enough to be able to “reduce, control” the virus. They also warned people not to travel home for the Eid al-Adha festival on 20 Jul

The Central Statistics Agency has reported that 36,000 people in Bali fell below the poverty line, with 202,000 of the island’s population earning less than $31.21 USD per month

The Delta variant has been officially confirmed in Bali

Indonesia’s oxygen needs have increased 5X to 2,000 tons per day

The West Nusa Tenggara government is aiming to attract 1,000 tourism workers for 300 homestays in the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (KEK). They have prepared a training scheme for the workers

Indonesia reported 56,757 cases on 15 Jul, a record high, and the government is preparing scenarios for 100,000 cases per day

A new “world-class tourist attraction” is set to be built in Jembrana Regency, Bali

Bali’s hospital bed occupancy rate has doubled vs late Jun, and is now at 64% as of 13 Jul

The Tourism Minister has said that tourist villages are proving themselves to be a “pandemic winner”. He classifies the 1,624 villages in 4 categories: startups, developing, developed, and self-sufficient. Self-sufficient tourist villages are “unicorns”, and the government is aiming for 244 of these in 2021. The government is providing training for 3 aspects, including training, assistance and entrepreneurship

The distribution of 110,000 oxygen concentrators from Singapore is being prioritised for Java and Bali

Jakarta and Yogyakarta face being the hardest hit by the new wave of cases, with potential shortages of ICU and isolation beds, if cases keep increasing by 2-3% per day. Jakarta’s bed occupancy rate is 86%, whilst Yogyakarta’s is 90%

A serological survey has shown that the detection of cases in Jakarta is very low, with only 8.1% of cases detected

The Indonesian Central Bank has cut its 2021 GDP forecast to 3.8% from its previous 4.6%

Tedjo Iskandar, a legendary tourism player in the Indonesian industry, passed away on 13 Jul

The government will only recognise RT-PCR test results from 742 laboratories affiliated with the Ministry of Health for travel or flights

The UAE has banned entry of travellers coming from Indonesia from 11 Jul

The Emergency PPKM will be extended beyond Java and Bali to 15 locations, including 13 cities, from 12 Jul

Indonesia has been downgraded by the World Bank to a lower-middle income, after last year reaching upper-middle income status

The government is working to ensure the production of medical oxygen and the availability of COVID-19 drugs, the Ministry of Health has said. Industrial oxygen will be given up 90% to medical oxygen needs. The lack of medical oxygen in some areas is due to a poor distribution chain, rather than lack of supply, and the government is working to increase supply to those areas with high cases

The Mandalika Circuit is now 80% complete

Jakarta tourism players are calling for the government’s help, with the Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Jakarta chapter forecasting hotel occupancy to drop to 10-15%. They want a 30-50% electricity bill waiver, discounted rental for restaurants in shopping malls and cash support for hospitality workers who are on unpaid leave. They also stated that the government has not paid $9.7 million USD owed to 14 hotels acting as hotel quarantine centres

Bali has reported 577 cases, its highest number yet, on 8 Jul, as Indonesia reported its highest spike of 38,391 cases

Amadeus has signed an NDC agreement with tiket.com, the first OTA to sign such an agreement

The government has lowered its 2021 GDP forecast to 3.7-4.5%, due to the Emergency PPKM imposed

The government has changed the name of the holding company for aviation and tourism-related businesses to Aviata. It is proposed that Aviata will receive 9.318 trillion IDR in 2022

The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Bali has said that hotel occupancy in Bali has dropped to 5-7% again after the Emergency PPKM – before, it had reached 15-17%

Bali has recorded its highest daily cases of 577 on 8 Jul. The Bali Governor has said that contact tracing has increased 200% compared to before the Emergency PPKM implementation

Indonesia has reported a record 1,040 deaths, double the number from just a week ago. It is preparing worst case scenarios which would see daily cases hit 70,000

East Nusa Tenggara will temporarily suspend flights and boats from 7-21 Jul, after a spike in cases

According to a survey by the Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA), 30% of travel agents have closed, 65% are operational without offices and employees, and only 5% still have employees. Travel agents’ incomes have dropped by 85% in 2020 vs 2019, and despite seeing a small increase early in the year, that momentum has now gone

Indonesia will ban unvaccinated foreigners from entering the country from 6 Jul. Those vaccinated foreigners who do enter will need a negative RT-PCR test. Quarantine will also be extended to 8 days for both Indonesian and international travellers, with a RT-PCR test on day 1 and day 7. Unvaccinated Indonesians may still enter the country, but will be vaccinated on arrival

The Tourism Minister supports the tightened border controls and has said that the plans to reopen Bali are still being prepared. To reopen, it must fulfil 3 conditions: reach 70-80% vaccination, CHSE protocols be finalised end-to-end and the infection rate must be below 100

Indonesia is importing emergency oxygen from Singapore, and was in talks with other countries for help

The Karangasem Hotel and Restaurant Association in Bali has confirmed that its members have received hundreds of hotel cancellations since 2 Jul

The Delta variant is the major cause of 90% of the cases in Jakarta, the government has confirmed

The Tourism Minister has said that they will accelerate the tourism grants, so that they can be given out in mid-late Q3

The West Nusa Tenggara government will provide free antigen rapid tests to tourists, who need to show proof of visiting a tourist destination or staying at a hotel or homestay

The government has said that Indonesia’s daily cases could reach 40,000 daily, and it is taking steps to prepare accordingly

The Indonesian Exhibitions industry lost approx.. $3.1 billion USD in 2020

Indonesia is providing telemedicine services to COVID-19 patients self-isolating at home, to help overloaded hospitals

Indonesia has reported a record daily case number of 27,913 on 4 Jul

The tourism industry in Bali has said that the imposition of the Emergency PPKM will worsen the economic impact on the region

Helicopter tourism is increasing in Bali, Urban Air has said

The government has said that the next 2 weeks are critical to control the virus in Indonesia, and it expects infections to rise

Bali’s governor has asked for the cost of rapid antigen and RT-PCR tests to be lowered on the island

TX Travel has launched domestic vaccine tour packages, including a 14-day hotel stay, 2 doses of vaccine and travel insurance, which they say has received positive feedback so far. ATS Vacations and BMW Tours are also authorised to sell these packages

The government will enforce a rule that domestic travellers travelling long distance will need to hold vaccination cards. They hope that this will encourage more people to get vaccinated

The Indonesian Academics Forum is planning to publish a book on Indonesian halal tourism, which the Tourism Minister will hope will encourage halal tourism

Jakarta will close its entry and exit points during the Emergency PPKM

Finns have launched a new tourism campaign, Back to Bali, which is supported by Wonderful Indonesia, Bali Tourism, the Bali Hotels Association and Garuda Indonesia

International arrivals to Indonesia in May were 155,607, -87.5% YoY

The government is aiming to test 324,283 people per day during the enforcement of its Emergency PPKM from 3-20 Jul in Java and Bali. Contact tracing will cover 15 close contacts of each case, and quarantine enforced for those who had close contact with the patient

The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment has said that ”it is impossible to reopen” Bali due to the Delta variant in the country. The government is therefore “not thinking of it (reopening Bali) anymore. At this moment, we are thinking of how to lower (COVID-19 cases) by inoculating as many people as possible and (ensure people are) following the health protocols”

The government has said that it will provide social assistance to those who need it during the Emergency PPKM period

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce has warned that the government must provide financial aid for businesses, otherwise redundancies and bankruptcies could follow

A ferry sailing between Bali and Java sank, causing 7 confirmed deaths and many missing

The President has called for the public to remain calm during the Emergency PPKM

The President has declared an Emergency PPKM to be enforced from 3-20 Jul in 48 regencies/ cities classified as Level 4 risk, as well as 74 classified as Level 3, all located in Java and Bali. All areas under the Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Area are under Emergency PPKM. New measures include: all non-essential companies to enforce working from home, essential sectors permitted to operate at 50% capacity at office, supermarkets open until 8pm at 50% capacity, shopping malls, tourist destinations and dine-in not opened. Travellers for long-haul bus, trains and plane must show a vaccine certificate for at least one dose, as well as a negative RT-PCR test

The World Bank has said that the share of middle class jobs in Indonesia has decreased due to the pandemic

The Tourism Ministry will postpone all programs planned due to the Emergency PPKM, including the Work from Bali, reopening of Bali, vaccine tourism program and other events in the region

Rupat Island in Riau province is being considered as a stopover destination for a Genting Dream cruise ship from Malaysia. If it were implemented, the governor of the province will ensure proper preparations are made

The Ubud Hotel Association is still hopeful that Bali will open in Jul. Around 10% of its members have had to close temporarily during the pandemic

The number of children contracting COVID-19 has tripled since May, rising to 12.6% of the total cases from last Jul’s 5%

Bali has said that it is not denigrating other tests’ validities in not accepting the GeNose Test, rather that it is trying to apply the highest standard possible with the RT-PCR test, for stronger control over virus transmission

The Bali Governor estimates that the Work from Bali campaign could contribute 2% to Bali’s economy, and had contributed 15-30% of Bali’s hotel occupancy

The Tourism Minister has said that Bali’s opening will have to wait until the situation becomes “more conducive”. He ideally wants Bali’s daily cases to fall to 30-40 before reopening

The Tourism Minister has said that the Work from Bali campaign did not cause the increase in cases in Bali. However, the initiative will be evaluated and modified

The Jakarta governor has asked local residents to stop travelling so frequently to slow down transmission

The bed occupancy level of isolation rooms in hospitals has reached above 80% in Central Java

The Health Ministry has urged Indonesians to double mask to protect themselves from the Delta variant

Indonesia is looking to introduce 5-year visas for digital nomads, who would benefit from no taxation on their foreign income

The Red Cross has said that Indonesia is on the verge of “catastrophe” with the Delta variant dominating transmission and cases over 20,000 daily. Some hospital beds in Jakarta have reported overcapacity

The Tourism Minister has said that it will offer vaccine tourist programs on Bali, with free access for domestic travellers, whilst international visitors could receive Sinopharm at a fee. A start date was not given, and it was subject to final approval

The government has launched a $4.2 million USD incentive package for the tourism sector, which it expects to benefit 800 recipients. It will consist of cash incentives and training courses. Businesses which are located around tourism villages would receive priority as the Tourism Ministry is pushing the concept

The Bali Medical Tourism Association are determined to promote Bali as a medical tourist destination

Bali tourism players are asking the government to subsidise tourists’ RT-PCR tests, as the new rules implemented will impact the number of visitors

The number of tourism vehicles owned by the Association of Bali Tourism Transport Companies (PAWIBA) has dropped from 2,500 to just 500, due to a lack of financing help

West Nusa Tenggara is looking to establish 16 new tourist villages in 2021, as part of its target to reach 99 tourist villages in 5 years

Indonesia’s finance minister has proposed increasing VAT to 12% from its current 10% and an income tax of 35% for those earning at least 5 billion IDR annually

A study by Adara has shown that over 24 May-22 Jun, the volume of searches in Indonesia increased by 18.8% and bookings by 27.4% . Travellers based in Canada in particular saw an increase of market share of international travel to Indonesia by 178%

The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Badung has said that around 50 hotels and restaurants in Badung have been sold as hotels need to reach a minimum of 40% occupancy to be profitable

The Tourism Minister has proposed that hotels be used as temporary health care facilities

Jakarta’s cases hit a record 9,271 on 26 Jun

Jakarta is increasing its bed capacity in isolation and ICUs up to 10,000. Their current occupancy level of hospital beds in the city is 86.7%

Indonesia recorded its highest ever number of cases, 21,095 on 26 Jun

Indonesia is converting 3 hospitals in Jakarta into COVID-19 hospitals fully, and 2 government built housing complexes will be transformed into facilities to treat those with mild symptoms

A number of tourist attractions belonging to Yogyakarta Palace have been closed from 26 Jun-2 Jul, due to the number of increasing cases

Agoda’s Travel in 2021 survey has shown of its Indonesian respondents: • The top ways for travel are taking short trips, exploring local destinations never visited before and using OTAs to search for travel deals and added perks • 26% plan travel last minute • 7% are willing to splurge on accommodation • F&B benefits and early check-in/ check out are the top-rated benefits for accommodation packages

The Tourism Ministry has said that the tourism sector can be revived if health protocols are observed

The Tourism Minister has suggested that vaccination be a requirement for entry to Bali for both international and domestic visitors. Domestic visitors who are unvaccinated could receive the vaccine on arrival to Bali for free at the airport

The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) has said that the tourism industry is suffering more in 2021 than in 2020

Jokowi has reminded Indonesians to adhere to protocols, after hitting its highest record cases of 15,308 on 23 Jun

Domestic tourists to Bali will no longer be able to use the GeNose as proof of a negative test. Instead, travellers will need negative test results with a QR code to verify, and only RT-PCR or antigen tests will be accepted

Indonesia recorded 20,574 cases on 24 Jun, the highest number in a single day

Hong Kong has banned all passenger flights from Indonesia from 25 Jun, after categorising it as an “extremely high risk” country

The Bali Deputy Governor hopes that Bali’s July opening will not be delayed again, as more than 50% of Bali is vaccinated

The Bali Deputy Governor has denied that the spike in cases in Bali is due to the Work from Bali scheme, but instead because of increased community gatherings and the emergence of virus variants

Recreational venues, including museums, tourist attractions and cinemas, will be closed in Jakarta until 5 Jul under a tightening of the Micro PPKM rules. Other rules include office and restaurant capacity limited to 25% in red zones

Jakarta has implemented stricter measures under the Micro PPKM from 21 Jun-5 Jul. All offices and public spots must be closed at 9pm

Jokowi has said that the Micro PPKM and lockdown are essentially the same

The National COVID-19 task force has asked 6 provinces in Java to implement stricter Micro PPKM measures, including in Jakarta, West Java, East Java, Yogyakarta, and Banten

The Tourism Minister has said that tourism is not a problem, but the solution to recover from the pandemic

The construction of the Borobudur Highland is being accelerated to stimulate the economy. In the short-term, ecotourism and sports tourism will be held there, and in the medium term it is hoped more accommodation will be completed

The Delta variant is likely to have entered Bali, according to expert epidemiologists

The Minister of Tourism has said that the Bali opening will need to wait for cases to slow down in Indonesia and overseas. They are continuing to prepare for preopening, but will need to adjust to the current COVID situation

The Minister of Tourism has said that Bali’s domestic tourists have slowed down as cases increased. They will look at implementing a vaccine tourism scheme, where domestic tourists can get their vaccine in Bali

A new “Work from Borobudur” scheme has been launched

The Trail Of Civilizations of Borobudur Temple has been launched, which hopes to drive more personalised, smaller sized visits to the attraction

The government has said that Indonesia is ready to hold the World Superbike championship in Mandalika, but the number of spectators would have to be limited by the current COVID situation

The Finance Minister has said that the latest surge in cases will impact on Indonesia’s economic growth in Q2

The Work from Bali scheme has seen more than 2,000 people so far in Jun take part in Nusa Dua. Their length of stay is around 3-5 days

Nusa Dua in Bali will promote wellness tourism, including yoga and meditation

Indonesia reported 14,536 new cases, a record new daily case number, on 21 Jun

The Deputy Minister of Health has said that they want to open a top aesthetic beauty clinic in Bali at Sanglah General Hospital, to be used for medical tourism

Indonesia has passed the 2 million case mark, with 147,728 active cases

The Bali Villa Association (BVA) has said that its members are averaging occupancy of 10%

ASITA Bali are calling for the quarantine for international travellers once the island reopens to be just 2 days, as they expect ASEAN and Chinese tourists, who generally have a shorter length of stay

International flights have still not reopened to Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, and the airport noted that no information has been given as to whether the Bali TCA will open with direct flights to Bali, or transits via Jakarta

The Indonesian stock exchange has temporarily stopped trading of Garuda Indonesia shares, after it delayed payment on its global sukuk

Jakarta is planning to speed up its vaccination drive, so that it can reach herd immunity by Aug, as cases are increasing and hospital bed occupancy at 75%. Jokowi said he wanted Jakarta to vaccinate 100,000 people per day by next week – if all 4.5 million residents could receive vaccinations in 45 days. However, vaccine supply in the city is still limited

The government is struggling to reach a decision whether to refinance Garuda Indonesia. It has 4 options: announce a debt standstill and restructuring, debt revamp and create an airline which would take over the airline’s routes, refinance it or cease operations altogether

The governor of Jakarta will not allow schools in red zones to hold trial face to face classes during the micro PSBB from 15-28 Jun

The government has changed the Islamic New Year, birth of Prophet Muhammad and Christmas joint leave days. The Islamic New Year holiday will now fall on Wed 11 Aug, Prophet Muhammad’s birthday to Wed 20 Oct and the national collective leave on 24 Dec will be cancelled

The Jakarta Governor has called for residents to stay home over the weekend to prevent further virus transmission

The Tourism Minister has said that Bali’s economy could be permanently damaged, and that its economic situation in Q2 so far is not improved from Q1

The national COVID-19 Task Force is considering cutting long holidays from the remaining 2021 calendar to stop the spread of the virus

The Head of Bali Tourism Office has said that the number of domestic tourists visiting Bali has increased to around 8,000 per day

The Provincial Bali government has said that the challenge for Bali to reopen is to convince international tourists that the cases are improving and are under control, despite the increase in cases nationally

Investment in Badung regency’s tourism sector in Bali still continues, according to the Head of the Badung Regency Investment

Indonesia reported its highest daily cases since Feb, with 12,624. Jakarta recorded the highest single day jump, at 4,144 cases. Health authorities have said that the likely cause behind the increase is the Delta variant

The WHO has warned that Indonesia should increase prevention measures in the country due to the surge in cases caused by variants

The Ministry of Tourism is strengthening its cooperation with Iran to encourage tourist visits

The Minister of Tourism met with the Ambassador of Kazakhstan and discussed tourism cooperation between the two, including plans for direct charter flights from Almaty or Astana to Surabaya and Bali

West Java governor has asked tourists to stay away from Bandung Metropolitan Area and that it is under the level 1 COVID-19 alert. All cities and regencies must implement a work from home policy, as well as stop arrivals from outside the region for the next week

The Bali provincial government in partnership with tourism stakeholders, plans to tighten the implantation of prevention measures

Jakarta officials have said that the city is now in a “critical phase” for COVID cases after an increase, and a positivity rate hitting 17% from the previous week’s 8%

The Tourism Minister has said that the Work from Bali scheme is planned to prevent permanent damage to Bali’s economy

The passenger traffic at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport reached 218,499 people from 1-14 Jun, an average of around 15.6k per day, a MoM increase of 79%. The traffic mainly comes from Jakarta, Surabaya, Lombok and Ujung Pandang. The airport predicts that Jun 2021 traffic will be the highest since the start of the pandemic

Pauline Suharno is now the chair for ASTINDO, the Indonesian Travel Agents Association. She will focus on looking at driving change and digital transformation for travel agents

Jakarta is considering tightening restrictions

The Work from Bali program will start in stages in Jul, and the Bali government hopes that it can be expanded beyond Nusa Dua

Indonesia expects that its cases will peak in early Jul

The Micro PPKM restrictions have been extended until 28 Jun. Offices in red zones are permitted to operate at 25% capacity, and those in orange/ yellow zones at 50% capacity. Shopping centres and restaurants are also limited to 50% capacity and must close by 9pm

Mt Merabu has reopened to hikers and tourists, but the visitor quota is limited to 30% of normal capacity. Hikers must also show antigen tests or GeNose results to be able to climb

Jokowi has approved the 10 proposals from the Governor of Bali, including providing 3 million more doses of vaccine and providing soft loans for the tourism sector. He has instructed the relevant ministries to work towards implementing them

The Tourism Minister has said that they will develop traditional horse racing in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara to be a tourist attraction. They will focus on revitalising the facilities

Gianyar Regency, Bali, is planning to open a Resort Hospital at Payangan Hospital

The Tourism Minister is looking to include Kuta in Badung as one of the green zones for the Bali TCA plan

The government has said that large-scale restrictions will not be imposed despite the spike of cases

The Minister of Tourism has recommended Lake Toba as a destination for remote working. They are also implementing a Cabin Box concept from Jul

The Ministry of Tourism is focusing on 3 strategies to revive Bali’s tourism, including vaccinating Bali’s population by Jul, tightening compliance with health protocols, trying to double the number of tourist businesses to 1,200 certified CHSE businesses and the diversification of the Balinese economy as a medium-term step

More protocols for the Bali TCA have been revealed, including an RT-PCR test on arrival, and then a 5-day quarantine. For those who are vaccinated, they will be permitted to use the hotel facilities, whilst for those for are not vaccinated, travellers will need to self-isolate in their hotel room

The Minister of Tourism has said that preparations for reopening Bali ae in the final stage and are at 90%. Opening depends on control of cases, vaccination programs and increasing compliance to health protocols

Indonesia recorded 7,725 cases on 9 Jun, its highest since 26 Feb. The government expects the increase to continue until Jul

The Bali Hotels Association has said that almost 76% of its member hotels have received the Cleanliness, Health, Safety and Environment (CHSE) certification

Bali has been named the Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best 2021 winner as the most popular destination in the world, and in Asia

The Sanur area of Bali has said that it is ready to support the Work from Bali initiative, especially as it is a green zone area

The cancellation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry National Conference in Bali created a potential loss of 35 billion IDR in revenue

The Bali and Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF), held from 10-11 Jun, had 192 buyers from 20 countries and 145 sellers. It is estimated that it could have a potential transaction value of 3.7 trillion IDR

The Governor of Bali met with Jokowi and requested 3 million additional doses of vaccine, special incentives for domestic travellers to be encouraged, increasing the Work from Bali to all government ministries, increasing MICE in Bali, opening Bali on a limited basis to international travellers from the end of Jul, providing tourism grants, extending the grace period for loans for tourism businesses and providing soft loans to Bali tourism businesses

The Bali governor has asked Jokowi to reopen Bali for international tourists by the end of Jul on a limited basis

The government has said that Indonesia only experienced a 53.4% spike in cases after Eid, compared to an 80.5% increase in 2020

The Finance Ministry has said that the social protection plan in place could have reduced open unemployment rates to 6.26% in Feb 2021

The Ministry for Transportation has said that connectivity is key for tourism success, including projects such as the Yogyakarta International Airport to Borobudur Temple transport corridor, the Lombok Zainuddin Abdul Madjid International Airport and Bali’s port in Nusa Penida

Garuda Indonesia is only operating 53 planes of its 142 fleet, due to the pandemic

Indonesia reported 8,892 cases on 10 Jun, the highest since 23 Feb

RedDoorz has launched its first Sunerra hotel in Jakarta, designed as a workcation hotel. The company noted that its domestic sales in Indonesia were doing well, with some hotels recording hotel occupancy 10-20% above industry average

A survey has shown that the current Minister of Tourism, Sandiaga Uno, is one of the most popular potential candidates to run for President of Indonesia in 2024

Bali plans to hold 20 events between Jun- year-end

The government has said that Bali must not rely fully on the tourism sector for its overall economic growth

The Minister of Tourism has said that the Bali Travel Corridor Arrangement (TCA) is still on track, and that in Q3 Indonesia will conduct pilots with charter flights

The Bali Tourism Board have said that from a total of 500 hotels in Bali, just 212 are operating and only 500 of 2,000 villas are operating

Cases are increasing in Indonesia once more, with 17 red zones, an increase from last week’s 13 red zones

The government has said that it is finalising the travel bubble arrangements for Bali, Batam and Bintan. Tourists will not be required to undergo quarantine, but will need to be vaccinated and have a negative test before arrival to Indonesia. Potential countries for the travel bubble could include UAE, Qatar, China, Singapore and the Netherlands

Face to face learning should take place with a maximum of 25% of students when schools reopen in Jul

The Bali Tourism Transport Association has said that there are facing difficulties to pay their financing for their bus fleets. More than 100 vehicles have been withdrawn from their members, who have suffered losses of 100 billion IDR upwards. 30-40 of its 150 members have collapsed. They are asking the Balinese government for more assistance

The PHRI Badung is calling for Bali to reopen to international tourists immediately, as the economy is in a dire state

The Bali government has asked that the Work from Bali program be implemented across the island, not just Nusa Dua

The Ministry of Tourism have 4 strategies to stimulate MICE in Indonesia. The first is to implement the CHSE MICE guide in the 5 super priority destinations and 16 destinations in Indonesia, B2B promotion, coordination with MICE stakeholders and further CHSE certification for MICE facilities and activities. It will also look at targeting domestic events first, then international ones in the coming year

The Ministry of Tourism held a meeting with the Indonesian Ambassador to Qatar to discuss cooperating for tourism, including reopening direct flights from Doha to Bali

Belitung regency will stop focusing on overseas promotion, reallocating its budget to focus on the pandemic

56% fewer Indonesian travellers in an Agoda Sustainable Travel Trends Survey want to travel more sustainably

Indonesia’s April arrivals were 127,512, -90% YoY, whilst visitors by air were -97.6% YoY, 18,404

International arrivals to Bali in Apr 2021 was just 9, -97.63% YoY. Room occupancy in starred hotels in Bali was 10.09%, with the average length of stay at 5* hotels 2.15 days

2 new studies have shown that Indonesia’s COVID-19 prevalence is much more widespread than reported. A study between Dec-Jan suggests 15% of Indonesians have had COVID-19, with official results recording 0.15% only. For Bali, preliminary results found the infectivity rate to be 53 times higher than the rate officially recorded

The Ministry of Tourism is discussing wellness and medical tourism with the Executive Board of the Indonesian Doctors Association. Around 100 trillion IDR is spent by Indonesians abroad on health services, and they will look to create an Indonesian Health Tourism Board. It would develop themes including fitness tourism, aesthetics, anti-ageing and Indonesian traditional medicine

Work from Lombok or Work from Labuan Bajo could be potentially implemented later in the year

The Ministry of Tourism wants to create vaccine tour packages to Indonesia in the same way the US has done, to increase visits to local destinations to Bali and Bintan

West Kalimantan will develop 15 tourism villages, which will promote local traditional and culture

The Bali and Beyond Travel Fair will be held from 8-12 Jun in Nusa Dua. It aims to attract 125 sellers from Bali

The Deputy Governor of Bali has said that he hopes the plan to reopen Bali to international tourists in July will not change, and he is optimistic that it can happen

Indonesia has now received 91.9 million bulk and ready to use vaccine supplies, but the government has reminded the population to maintain their discipline to help support the economy

The Finance Ministry is looking at increasing VAT from 2022, a move strongly opposed by businesses

Arrivals from India, Pakistan and the Philippines must undergo a 14-day quarantine, whilst arrivals from other countries need to undergo a 5-day quarantine

The Minister of Tourism has said that since the implementation of the Work from Bali program, visits to Bali have increased, from 2,000-2,500 to 7,000-7,500

Tourist visits to Labuan Bajo have increased by 20-30%, the Tourism Ministry have reported

Malabon City will soon have a heritage zone after an act was passed by the House of Representatives

The Tourism Ministry forecasts that the Work from Bali scheme could help increase hotel occupancy rates by up to 30%

Educational tourism is being encouraged in Ubud, Bali, by the Ministry of Tourism, with an emphasis on quality and sustainability. They also encouraged Ubud to become part of the “Work from Gallery” program in Q3, which would be part of the “Work from Bali”, encouraging people to work whilst surrounded by paintings and artifacts

The Ministry of Tourism is preparing tourism grants over the next 2-3 months. They are currently gathering more information on which cities and districts should receive the grants. Grants would be allocated to hotels, restaurants, recreational parks, travel agents and tourism workers. They are planning for a total of 3.7 trillion IDR

The Travel Corridor Arrangement (TCA) for Bali is entering the finalisation stage, the Tourism Minister has said, targeting Q3 or mid-year to start with a pilot in Nusa Dua

Digital nomads will be a focus for Bali, according to the Provincial Tourism Office, who are undertaking more research into this sector

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce meeting scheduled for Nusa Dua on 2-4 Jun has been cancelled. The Deputy Governor of Bali is said to be disappointed by the news

The Micro PPKM has been extended from 1-14 Jun across 34 provinces

Indonesia has forecast that its GDP will see growth of 7.1-83% in Q2

The Ministry of Tourism has urged Bali to participate in the 2021 Tourism Village Awards, as it can help improve the economy, as well as promote tourism villages

The Work from Bali plan for civil servants could create “multiplier effects” for the industry in Bali

The coral reefs in Nusa Penida appear to be recovering due to the decline in marine tourism activities

The government has said that there has been an increase in cases post Lebaran, but these were smaller than last year’s increase. They have calculated that the increase in cases will occur until mid Jun

Bandung has closed its 6 tourist attractions from 23 May-1 Jun to stop large crowds

Visit Maldives have launched a joint campaign with Have Halal, Wil Travel, aimed at Muslim travellers from Indonesia

The Tourism Minister has reminded tourism stakeholders that they need to adapt, and tourism in the new normal will be more personal, adaptable, local and with a smaller scope. The ministry will therefore provide training to ensure that skills can be improved

The Bali Tourism Board and the Bali MICE Forum have said that they must be involved in the Work from Bali scheme, to ensure that Bali businesses benefit from the scheme. The Bali MICE Forum has said that 95% of MICE events held in Bali are using services and resources from outside of Bali

Hundreds of Bali hotels have been listed on real estate marketplaces, with Coconuts Bali reporting that 631 hotels appeared on a platform for sale as of 21 May

Selo Group is planning to build an ecopark in Lombok behind the Selong Selo Resort & Residences

Badung tourism revenue in Bali has dropped to around 50 billion IDR per month from 250-300 billion IDR, as 87% of the area’s revenue came from the tourism sector

A survey by the Mandiri Institute has shown that 84.8% of Indonesian SMEs are operating normally, compared to just 35.2% mid-2020

The GeNose test will be installed at 6 Badung attractions

The National Conference of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has booked over 2,000 rooms for its June conference which it is holding in Bali

7 Indonesian ministries are supporting the Work From Bali program, which encourages people to visit Bali even if they are working

Karawang Regency have closed all tourist destinations from 17 May for 14 days

The Minister of Tourism has met ambassadors from Singapore, Vietnam, Russia, Belgium, Netherlands, France and the UK to discuss the Travel Corridor Arrangement (TCA)

The Badung Association of Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants (PHRI) has said that hotel occupancy over Lebaran was down to 5-8%

The Health Ministry has accused some areas of performing less tests so that they could reach green zone status, but did not name which areas

The Tourism Minister and Investment Minister have formed a team to boost investment in Indonesia, including the tourism and creative economy

Special teams will be sent to Batam, Bintan and Bali to check the implementation of the CHSE protocols ahead of them opening up as part of international travel bubbles

Bali will provide free RT-PCR tests for its residents in May as part of the system to increase contact tracing and testing

Indonesia expects to see a spike of cases between 30-80% over the next few weeks after Lebaran

The government aims that by Sep 2021, 70 million citizens will receive vaccinations under the private procurement scheme, gotong-royong

West Lombok will extend the closure of its tourism attractions to 20 May, as the areas has limited isolation rooms for COVID-19 patients

Tanah Lot saw 40% fewer visits during 6-17 May, dropping to 450 pax per day

2.6 million people left Jakarta between 6-15 May, with 2.2 million people entering the city

Mt Rinjani has reopened for tourism from the 15 May, with limited capacity for each climbing route

Indonesia is showcasing its tourism offering at the Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) in Dubai

7 Indonesians drowned in a tourist boat incident after tourists attempted a selfie in Java

Ancol Dreamland Park in North Jakarta received 40,000 visitors on 14 May over the public holidays. Taman Mini Indonesia Indah recorded 23,000 visitors, a number still below its 30% cap. Tourist attractions have only been open to Jakarta residents over the Eid public holidays

Tourism businesses in Lovina have been selling their assets, the Binaria Lovina Tourism Agency has confirmed

The Ministry of Tourism has said that grants will be important to stimulate the tourism and creative economy sectors, which it hopes will be rolled out soon

Jakartans returning to their homes after Eid must have COVID-19 free certificates

The travel ban for mudik has been extended until 24 May, from 17 May

The Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association Gianyar chapter confirmed that Ubud received no bookings over the mudik ban

Badung have launched an e-ticketing system and the GeNose test system at Uluwatu Temple. The GeNose test will be free

The Central Java Governor has reminded tourism destinations to control the crowds and prevent mass gatherings over the Eid period

The National Consumer Protection Agency has warned that a potential VAT hike will add burdens to consumer spending power

1.5 million people left Jakarta before the mudik ban according to toll road operators from 1-10 May

1.5 million people left Jakarta before the mudik ban according to toll road operators from 1-10 May

Bali will keep its tourist attractions open over the Eid holiday, but they will be for local tourists only

Bali’s Vice Governor has confirmed that Bali will reopen by Jul internationally, despite the transmission of new variants. They are expecting the Chinese market to contribute to visitors, rather than from India or Singapore

The Jakarta governor ordered that all malls, restaurants and cinemas in orange and red zones must shut over 12-16 May, whilst those outside of the zones could only operate at 50% capacity until 9pm. All leisure and recreational facilities in orange and red zones must also close, whilst outside those zones can operate at 30% capacity

Retail sales in March fell 14.6%, an improvement from Feb’s -18.1%

Artotel Group have called for the government to regulate hotel prices so that properties can operate on a level playing field, instead of fight price wars. However, the Tourism Ministry has said that hotel prices are dependent on occupancy levels and their location, so it is difficult to regulate

The government has temporarily stopped charter flights carrying migrant workers over the mudik ban period

The Indonesian government is now the in final stage of preparing to reopen Bali for international visitors, including the new procedures to be put in place

The government has noted a significant decline in the number of people who returned home for Eid between 6-9 May, with a decrease of 93% of air transportation, 90% for sea and train transport and 40% land

The Micro PPKM has been extended from 18 May until 31 May, with the same 30 provinces implementing it

The government revealed that out of a random testing of 6,742 mudik travellers, 4,123 were positive

Indonesia’s consumer confidence index rose to 101.5 in Apr from 93.4 in Mar, with an optimistic reading for the first time since April 2020

The Bali & Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) will be held from 8-12 Jun, and will be attended by 150 buyers, including 64 from overseas (UK, France, Australia, US) who will attend virtually. The organisers are targeting 3.57 trillion IDR in transactions from the fair, 50% of 2019 levels

A Ministry of Transport survey has shown that 18 million are still planning to return home for Lebaran, despite the mudik ban, mostly by car and motorbike

The government has allocated $259 million USD for tourism development grants for the West Nusa Tenggara province. They will also try to allocate grants for the Rinjani geopark development in Lombok

Solo will allow tourist attractions to remain open over the Eid mudik ban, but must limit capacity to 50%

The Tourism Minister aims to open up Gili Trawangan to international tourists once Bali has reopened

February’s unemployment rate was 6.26%, with an increase of 1.82 million unemployed workers compared to last year

The mudik ban applies for the Greater Jakarta Area, too

The Istiqal Mosque has the potential to be a religious tourist destination, the Tourism Minister has said, after its recent renovation. It will also be a halal culinary destination

Bali has confirmed that the UK and South African variants of the virus have been detected in Bali

Jakarta recorded 15,000 train passenger departures on 5 May, ahead of the mudik ban. Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has also reported bigger than usual crowds, and the toll roads have seen increased traffic

The Minister for Education has insisted that face to face learning in schools should resume, as students’ mental health is at stake

The Batam View Beach Resort in Nongsa is undergoing major renovation

Indonesia’s GDP for Q1 contracted by 0.79%, the 4th consecutive quarter with losses. It was an improvement from Q4 2020’s -2.19%

Raja Ampat will open its tourist sites for locals over Eid

The Tourism Minister has stated that the target for reopening in June/ Jul for Bali is still on target

Indonesia’s international arrivals in Mar were 132,597, -72.7% YoY. Its top arrivals were from Timor-Leste, Malaysia, Singapore, China and the US

OAG have reported that scheduled seat capacity for Indonesia for the w/c 3 May was -15.9% WoW, cutting capacity to less than 50% of pre-pandemic levels

Lampuuk Beach in Aceh province has the potential to be developed as a sports tourism destination for open water swimming, the Tourism Minister has said

The Micro PPKM has been extended from 4-17 May, and will be applied in 30 provinces, including 5 new ones

Occupancy at star hotels in Bali in Mar increased 1.25 points to 10.24%

The Health Minister has confirmed the Indian variant of the virus in Indonesia

Tiket.com has reported that airline tickets in Q1 increased by 331%, whilst hotel bookings increased 321% YoY. Its ancillary feature also saw a 10% increase in sales from Q4 2020. Pegipegi saw an increase of 51% in Q1 2021 YoY, with a spike in bookings in early 2021. Both OTAs have reported that the most popular domestic destinations include Jakarta, Bandung, Bali, Surabaya and Yogyakarta for hotels, Surabaya, Medan, Makassar, Bali and Yogyakarta for flights

Jakarta will start its 2nd phase of pilot school reopening in early Jun after a 3-week successful trial

Travellers entering Bali will now be subject to random swab tests from 18 May, as the authorities are expecting the number of travellers returning to Bali after Lebaran to increase

The Bali Hotels Association has said that around 30% of their hotels have decided to close over the mudik ban period

The Tourism Ministry has given the power of opening or closing tourism destinations during the Lebaran holiday to local governments

Jokowi has reminded the public not to head home over Eid, warning that in 2020 public holidays over the Aug long weekend had resulted in an 119% spike in cases, Oct long weekend 95% rise and New Year’s a 78% increase

Tourism grants will be distributed again in Bali by the central government in 2021. However, many tourism industry players did not claim the grant last year, due to its small size and time to apply

Travellers arriving from the Philippines, India and Pakistan will face a 14-day quarantine upon arrival to Indonesia

The Tourism Minister is focusing on Muslim friendly travel as a focus for Indonesia

The number of red zones has increased in Indonesia, from 6 to 19

The Jakarta Metro Police have arrested an Indonesian traveller, who paid 2 people who claimed to be airport staff, to skip the 14-day quarantine mandatory for Indonesians returning from India. They are investigating if it forms part of a larger bribery scheme which helps returning travellers skip quarantine

The Ministry of Tourism has said that the contribution of local tourists to the economy outweighs that of international visitors. Domestic contribution reached nearly 5% of GDP, 1,400-1,500 trillion IDR, whilst international tourism is 275-300 trillion IDR

The Deputy Governor of Bali has said that whilst international visitors are greeting the idea of Bali reopening with enthusiasm, there have not yet been any bookings

The ADB has forecast that Indonesia’s GDP will see a 4.5% growth in 2021 and a 5% growth in 2022

The Indonesia International Motor Show Hybrid 2021 was held as a hybrid physical-virtual show, the first in-person exhibition to be held

There has been an increase in the number of office clusters detected in Jakarta from 5-18 Apr

Bank Indonesia has said that Bali still has economic activities, despite revenue from tourism being massively impacted. The Google mobility index has shown an increase in visits to shopping centres, and an increased circulation of IDR currency in Apr

Bali has seen a daily average of 4,000-4,500 domestic visitors in Apr. As of 27 Apr, there is just one red zone in Bali, Badung

GeNose testing has now been approved for use at 21 airports throughout Indonesia, and the government is planning to use it at nearly 100

The Tourism Minister has reported that Yogyakarta’s average hotel occupancy is over 45%, higher than other destinations

10-15 million additional doses of Sinovac have been procured by Indonesia. With this extra supply, the Health Minister has urged regional heads to ramp up its vaccination once more

Indonesia has declared its missing submarine has sunk and cracked open after being reported missing on Wed

Bali officials have said that preparations to reopen the island are almost complete, and that compliance with prevention measures has reached 96.8%

The Tourism Minister wants to promote rendang as a key part of its ‘Indonesia Spice Up The World’ program

Bali officials have said that the island is now clear of red zone areas as of 20 Apr

Indonesia has not yet closed flights to India, and the Civil Aviation Directorate General has yet to receive any orders to do so

Indonesia will stop issuing visas for travellers who have been in India in the last 14 days

The Deputy Governor of Bali has said that Bali’s tourism sector has been ready to open sine last year, with 1,800 hotels certified under the CHSE scheme. He also confirmed that vaccination in the green zone areas of Ubud, Sanur and Nusa Dua were almost 100% complete

The Ministry of Tourism has revised its international and domestic tourist targets for the 2016-2021 Medium Term Development Plan. It aims for 4 million international tourists in 2021, and 180 million domestic tourists

The government has tightened the mudik ban and travel in the period 14 days prior to the ban, from 22 Apr-5 May, as well as 7 days after the ban, from 18-24 May. During these periods, interprovincial travellers by air, sea and train will need to show an RT-PCR or antigen test taken within 24 hours of department, or a GeNose test before departure

The Bali Hotels Association (BHA) supports the call for Bali to be exempted from the mudik ban, stating that it will have a deep impact on all who live in Bali

The Tourism Minister has confirmed that the reopening of Indonesia is still on track for Jun or Jul, despite the increase in Bali cases. The reopening depends on the compliance level of those in the green zone areas, the improvement of testing, tracing and treatment, and the vaccine distribution. They also aim to certify 7,500 destinations with the CHSE certificate

The chief of the COVID task force has warned the public that those who plan to return to their hometowns for Eid are indirectly killing their own parents

The Bali Tourism Association has asked officials at Gilimanuk Port to implement GeNose testing as a low-cost alternative for travellers entering the island

Bali’s government has asked the central government to allow Bali to remain open for domestic tourists during the mudik ban, arguing that they expected to receive only 10,000 tourists, and those who visited would be there for holiday purposes only

The Tourism Minister has urged travellers to visit local tourist attractions during the mudik ban

Jakarta has extended the Micro PPKM until 3 May

The government is planning to develop Banyumas’ adventure tourism products, including an eco-printing facility

The Tourism Minister is calling for the public to obey the mudik ban to prevent large-scale transmission

The Tourism Minister has said that the government is looking at establishing travel corridors with the UAE and Qatar, with arrangements being “finalised”. They have also opened up discussions with Poland and the Ukraine

The Minister of Tourism has said that the Super Priority Destinations will have automotive-based tourism. Purworejo will hold an MX GP, whilst Labuan Bajo may have programs focusing on electric cars and motorbikes

Badung, Bali, will install GeNose tests at 6 tourist attractions: Uluwatu Temple, Labuan Sait Beach, Pandawa Beach, Taman Ayun Temple, Sangeh and Nungnung Waterfall

The Badung Association of Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants (PHRI) has said that member hotels have started to accept hotel bookings over the Lebaran period, with some hotels reaching 5% of occupancy, but before the mudik ban they anticipate hotel occupancy reaching 40%

The Bali government have confirmed that a vaccine certificate does not apply for entry to Bali, and they must still take an antigen or RT-PCR test

UNESCO has designated 17 sites at Belitung Island as global geoparks

The Bali Travel Agency is continuing its preparations to reopen Bali internationally. They also support the government’s plans for a 5-day quarantine upon arrival

Indonesia is hoping to open up Bali, Batam and Bintan to international travellers by the end of Jul. The government is in talks with Singapore, China, South Korea, India, the Netherlands and United Arab Emirates for travel bubbles, as well as been approached by the Ukraine and Poland, who have guaranteed a number of tourists via chartered flights. Other areas being considered for the Travel Corridor Arrangement include Yogyakarta, Belitung Island, Lake Toba, Labuan Bajo and Likupang

The number of red and orange zones have increased, the COVID-19 Handling Task Force reported

The Badung chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) is expecting single digit hotel occupancy over the Eid holiday, with the mudik banned

The police have said that they will ensure a smooth journey for those travellers who embark on mudik before 6 May, the cut-off date

Visa requirements for yachts and their crew are being eased

Badung regency, Bali, plans to install the GeNose tests at several tourist attractions in Badung

Michael Page Indonesia’s recent survey has recorded 41% of companies looking to increase their headcount, and 34% maintaining its status quo

The number of high-risk areas have doubled in Indonesia to 10, with 5 of those in Bali

A new development of holiday homes in Batam, Opus Bay, has been launched, with the first phase expected to be ready by 2023

The government wants to use ecotourism as a driving force to boost Indonesia’s economy

The Ministry of Tourism is monitoring the plan for the Travel Corridor Arrangement (TCA) in Bali, Batam and Bintan. Readiness to open is assessed every 2 weeks for Bali, every week for Batam-Bintan

The Jakarta Provincial Government has ordered bars to close during Ramadan

Riau Islands governor has proposed that the Travel Corridor Arrangement with Singapore start on 1 May or 1 Jun, as they are still considering whether vaccination can be achieved, if COVID-19 is under control and the response of the Singaporean government

The fact that the MotoGP event at the Mandalika Circuit has been delayed to 2022 gives Indonesia a chance to “maximise preparation”

MICE events will now be permitted to go ahead. Organisers will need to present detailed programs and contingency plans to the COVID-19 task force and police, and apply for a permit, which could take 2 months. The Indonesian Exhibition Companies Association welcomed the move, but said that more in-person events were likely to resume only from Jun. In 2020, the government estimates that the Indonesian MICE industry lost 18 trillion IDR

Several villages near Tanah Lot in Tabanan have been designated green zone areas and will be included in the COVID-19 Free Corridor

The Tourism Minister has said that the culinary industry can boost Indonesia’s economy

The Tourism Minister has encouraged tour leaders to improve their storytelling skills, as quality tourism will be sought after

The government has said that the Mandalika circuit is already 70% ready

Bali’s government is preparing hotels which will be used for quarantining international travellers on arrival whilst they wait for their swab test results. These would need to be paid for by the travellers

The Tourism Minister has stated that 34 million tourism and creative economy workers were impacted by the pandemic

The government expects that by the end of 2021, the whole of Bali will be a green zone

The government will spend $275.5 mil USD on 108 basic infrastructure projects in the 5 super priority destinations. The projects are to develop roads, clean water, sanitation and residential improvements, as the government believes that if the infrastructure is not in pace, then tourists will not return

Indonesia has tightened security at tourist destinations following the terror attacks in Indonesia

Indonesia has warned against a second cyclone after Cyclone Seroja killed 163 people and displaced more than 22,800 in East Nusa Tenggara province

The IMF has downgraded its forecast for Indonesia’s 2021 GDP to 4.3% from 4.8%, due to its slow vaccination rollout

The Mandalika MotoGP has been tentatively scheduled for March 2022

The Bali Tourism Board forecasts that Bali will receive 1.5 million international visitors once it reopens borders

Travellers who have travel permits for travel during Eid must undergo a 5-day self-quarantine on arrival to their destination

Hyatt have launched their first Andaz property in Indonesia in Bali’s Sanur

The Ministry of Tourism plans to pilot the GeNose tests in tourist villages, as it will create a sense of safety for tourists, and could increase tourist activities by up to 25%

The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment has reaffirmed the government’s plans to open an international hospital for diseases such as cancer, in Bali, as part of its medium-to-long term strategy for medical tourism

The government has announced a ban on sea, land, air and rail travel from 6-17 May over the Eid festival, to prevent travel for the mudik

The government will take over the management of the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) cultural park, in a bid to improve its offerings for culture-based tourism products

Indonesia is trying to position itself as the leading adventure tourism destination in SE Asia and will partner with the Indonesia Adventure Travel Trade Association (IATTA). They will look at developing rafting in West Java, to attract those visiting the KEK Lido zone

Jokowi has challenged the Tourism Ministry why only 244 tourist villages are being targeted to be created by 2024

The Tourism Minister has asked the Pandeglang Regency and Banten Province to add tourist villages to the Tanjung Lesung Tourism Special Economic Zone, to open up jobs and develop the community’s economy

Bali plans to hold 20 national events in 2021 to attract domestic tourists. However, the Bali Tourism Agency remains realistic that numbers will be depressed, aiming to receive around 30% of the pre-pandemic’s 16,000 daily visitors

The government is continuing to pursue reopening slowly to international tourism, with key constraints including testing of visitors and staff, mass vaccination drives and restricting visitors to certain zones. They foresee groups of not more than 50 on boats to Batam and Bintan, and 2 flights per day to Bali at the start of its pilot program

Jakarta has started a pilot scheme of reopening 85 schools for face to face learning

Bali Vice Governor has said that Australia will not be prioritised for a travel bubble with Bali, as they do not expect Australian citizens to be permitted to undergo outbound travel “anytime soon”. Instead, they will focus on the Netherlands, China, Singapore and the UAE

The Tourism Minister has said that the pandemic has presented an opportunity for the industry to strengthen its perception of offering Muslim friendly tourism

The Tourism Minister is optimistic that tourists will still visit local attractions even though the mudik is banned

STR data has shown that Bali’s hotel occupancy is trailing behind other Indonesian destinations such as Bandung, Jakarta, Medan and Surabaya. The most recent data shows that its average occupancy is below 35%

The Micro PPKM has been extended from 6-19 Apr, and is enforced in 20 provinces, including Java, Bali, Aceh, Riau, South Sumatra, North Kalimantan, and Papua

Flash floods in the Flores killed 23 people

The Tourism Ministry said that domestic visitors to Bali reached 50% of pre-pandemic levels, with 8,000 visitors to Bali in the last 2 days. Daily arrivals in Apr so far have been around 4,500, up from their target of 2,600. The Q1 number of domestic tourists to Bali was more than at the end of 2020

Sanur Port saw an increase of 30% in the number of fast boats taken by tourists over the Easter weekend

The government’s data has shown that active cases are decreasing in Indonesia

The Head of The National Covid-19 Handling Task Force has asked Bali to regulate quarantine policies for both domestic and international travellers to the island

351,256 vehicles left Greater Jakarta on 1-2 Apr, ahead of the Easter holidays, an increase of 25%

Banda Aceh recorded no international arrivals in Feb due to border restrictions

: Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport has recorded an increase in traffic over the Easter holidays, with 8,875 pax on 1 Apr alone, this is the highest total pax for months. The airport predicted that peak domestic travel would be on 2 Apr, with a 2-4% increase vs 1 Apr. Bali in general has seen an increase in the average number of pax flying, with Jan-Mar 5,293 pax, but the Mar average rose to 8,532 pax

The UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights has criticised the mega tourism project in Mandalika, saying that it “tramples on human rights”. They said that the project included aggressive land grabs, forced evictions and threats

Indonesia’s February international arrivals were 117,000 in Feb, -86.59% YoY, and a decrease of 14.74% MoM. Its Feb air arrivals were -98.74% YoY. Its Jan-Feb international arrivals were -88.25% YoY

Jakarta will reopen face to face learning in a pilot in 96 schools from 7 Apr

A female IS sympathiser was shot dead at the National Police HQ after opening fire on officers at the entrance. The explosion on 28 Mar in Makassar was linked to a pro-IS group, and the country is on high alert for attacks

3 of the remaining 5 red zones in Indonesia for COVID-19 are in Bali

Bali is looking at developing itself as a medical tourism hub, something which is supported by the Ministry of Tourism

The government has made changes to domestic travel regulations, including the need for a negative RT-PCR test to Bali within 48 hours, and an alternative GeNose test at the departure location of airports, ports, train stations and rest areas

The Tourism Ministry is drafting programs which would permit staycations over the Lebaran (Eid) period, as the mudik is not allowed

Discussions for reopening Bali are in the final stage, the Tourism Minister has said. They plan to implement a 2-day quarantine at designated government facilities for international travellers, and will also extend the length of a visa from 30 to 60 days. They will also implement an e-visa system

The cockpit recorder for the Sriwijaya Air SJ-182 crash has been located

Indonesia is aiming to partially reopen schools by Jul, in time for the new academic year. Schools would open at 50% capacity, with rotation for students between in-person and online learning

The World Bank has kept its forecast of 4.4% GDP 2021 growth for Indonesia, unchanged from its Dec forecast

The Minister of Tourism has concluded that the reopening of Bali can happen mid-Jun or Jul, piloted in Ubud, Sanur and Nusa Dua. They plan to carry out a pilot with a charter flights prior to the reopening. Countries which would be targeted for partners include those with high vaccination rates, strict health protocols and high testing and tracing, as well as reciprocity

Traveloka is holding a mega sale at the end of March to promote domestic tourism

The Tourism Minister acknowledged the fact that the ban on the mudik will impact the tourism sector, but is necessary to break the chain of infection

: Indonesian ministers hosted an event in Bali on 26 Mar, called “Rethinking and Reinventing Bali Post COVID-19”, inviting ambassadors to showcase how Bali is preparing to reopen

The Bali Tourism Ministry expects the travel corridor to be open by Jun-Jul

The World Bank still forecasts a 2021 GDP growth of 4.4% for Indonesia

2 suspected suicide bombers launched an attack at a Makassar Catholic church on 28 Mar, injuring 14, with the number of deaths unknown

Medan will launch the revitalisation of the Kesawan City Walk on 28 Mar, highlighting its culinary richness as a “Kitchen of Asia”

The government has said that it will tighten its Micro PPKM restrictions from 5 Apr, and will expand it to 5 more provinces

Bali will implement the Genose test at Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport in Apr 2021. The Bali governor hopes that this will attract domestic travellers, as the cost is lower. It will be targeted for those travellers already vaccinated

Mt Rinjani will reopen its trekking on 1 Apr, but will limit the number of trekkers to 50% of its total quota

The government will soon issue a 5-year tourist visa, allowing foreign tourists to work in the country. They anticipate this could be launched in Mar/ Apr

The Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister has said that Singapore and Indonesia should have the “same level of control” over COVID-19 before allowing travel to resume between the 2

Singapore’s Foreign Minister has said that they are in talks with Indonesia for a “gradual and safe reopening of travel arrangements”, whilst Indonesia’s Tourism Minister has said that the 2 countries will “continue to increase the discussion to a more detailed level. Hopefully, in the next few weeks we can convey the progress” on the travel corridor plan

The Tourism Minister will focus on growing sports tourism, estimating that it could generate $1.3 trillion USD by 2024. The ministry will develop marine tourism, swimming, ecotourism and adventure tourism

The Tourism Minister has promised to develop tourism in Purbalingga Regency in Central Java

Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport has started to run simulations of operating its international terminal, and is in touch with 5 countries for travel bubble plans. 5,000 of its airport staff have now been vaccinated

Bank Indonesia (BI) sees MSMEs and tourism as being able to advance Indonesia’s development, and become a new powerhouse for the economy. The BI and other ministries are driving forward the 2021 National Movement on Proud of Made in Indonesia (BBI) and the National Movement of Proud to Travel #DiIndonesiaAja. They have a strategy for tourism development called 3A2P, Access, Attractions, Amenities, Promotion, and Tourism Actors. Access to tourism destinations is key, as is the CHSE certification

The Tourism Minister aims to grow Indonesia’s tourism and creative sector to contribute 10-12% of the country’s GDP over the next 5-10 years. Currently it contributes 7.3% (tourism 5.5%). He plans to focus on domestic tourism and the super priority destinations, which will drive local creative economies in turn. He does not aim to switch travellers from Bali to the super priority destinations, but rather “I want Bali's and the five super priority destinations’ pies to get bigger.”

Indonesia expects its economy to see a GDP growth of 7% in Q2, whilst Q1 is set to contract by 1.0%-0.1%

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has launched a new tourism app, Tlusur, which will provide users with information on health protocols and visitor capacity in tourism spots. It will also allow tracing of travellers, to ensure that they stay in green zones. The estimated launch is Jun/ Jul

PT Destinasi Tirta Nusantara has welcomed the plan of reopening Bali in mid-2021, and is optimistic that it could be the turning point for Indonesia’s tourism recovery in general. They hope that the government can provide more fiscal support

The Tourism Minister has said that MICE events will soon be allowed once more

The Tourism Minister is planning to maximise the amount which Indonesian travellers would usually spend on outbound travel, 150 trillion IDR, to channel it into the 5 Super Priority Destinations. He also believes that travel habits will change, and that personalised, localised and smaller-size tourism will be the focus

The Tourism Minister has said that the Singapore-Batam/ Bintan “safe travel corridor” is meant for Singaporeans into Indonesia, not the other way around. The areas in Batam and Bintan would be sealed, but vaccinated domestic travellers who test negative would also be allowed in

Bali will allow social and cultural activities to be held, with the limit of 25% maximum capacity

Bali expects to reopen its international borders by Aug, with a 3-part plan: 1) mass vaccinate, 2) prepare testing and trace applications and 3) arrange quarantine accommodation. in Apr, tracing trials will be carried out, as well as preparation for hotel quarantine packages, from May the trialling of tourism workers entering and exiting green zones will be implemented

The Tourism Minister has encouraged Riau Islands to develop longer stay packages for international travellers, as pre-pandemic, weekend trips from Singapore and Malaysia were preferred. Operators should highlight golf, the sea tribes, buffer islands and other islands

Bali has stated that vaccinated domestic travellers will still need to be tested to enter the island

The Tourism Minister has said that Batam and Bintan are more ready to be opened to international tourists than Bali, so a reopening may happen for Nongsa tourist area in Batam and Lagoi in Bintan by 21 Apr

The Sabang Free Trade Zone and Port Management Body (BPKS) in Aceh Province is targeting 12 international cruise ships this year

The Tourism Minister has said that a travel corridor program could begin in Bali by mid-2021. It would be offered to countries which have contained the virus, have high vaccination rates and could offer reciprocal benefits. Possible countries could be Netherlands, China, the UAE and Singapore. However, several conditions need to be met before rollout, including low COVID-19 numbers, increased public compliance to health protocols, more tracing and testing and at least 2 million people to be vaccinated in Bali by Jul

The Micro PPKM has been extended until 5 Apr, as well as extended to 10 provinces, with 5 new regions including South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, and West Nusa Tenggara

Jakarta’s Whitesky Aviation has launched a new helicopter service which allows people to fly to/ from the airport to their destination of choice in Greater Jakarta in 15 mins, avoiding traffic

A new report from C9Hotelworks has shown that overall occupancy levels at Bali hotels fell to 22%. However, there has been a demand in villa sales in Bali, driven by domestic buyers from Jakarta and Surabaya

M&C Saatchi Indonesia have launched their new film for Tourism Indonesia, targeting domestic tourists under the tagline “See you in Indonesia”

The Health Ministry expects that 1.1 mil doses of AstraZeneca will be given before they expire in May

Indonesia has seen a downward trend of new cases

The budget allocation for tourism grants will be increased in 2021 to 3.7 trillion IDR from 2020’s 2.7 trillion. The PHRI also hoped that the government will issue a debt restructuring policy for tourism players

The Minister of Tourism met with the Indian Ambassador to discuss Bali reopening by opening direct flights between the 2, as well as a travel corridor

A new campaign, “Exploring Jambi, the Hidden Paradise” has been launched to promote its tourist attractions, part of the Proud Travel movement

The Ministry of Communication and Informatics is supporting the Proud of Indonesian Travel movement through development of 4G in the 5 priority destinations. It has created a prototype model for the Hub Tourism Network Application (JPHub), which will allow the integration of MSMEs and tourism destinations

The Tourism Minister has proposed launching a 5-year visa which will target international travellers, including digital nomads

The Tourism Minister has said that leisure events may happen soon, and would need to be initiated and coordinated in synergy with the local police and regional COVID-19 task force

Jokowi has said that he plans to reopen the tourism sector in Bali in stages, and that he hoped that the vaccination will help revive the island

Jokowi has predicted that Bali will revive mid-2021, but it must control the infection rate

The government will not ban the “mudik” (homecoming) for Lebaran/ Eid in 2021

Hayo Travel has been launched as a new online marketplace for tour and activity providers

Swiss-Belhotel aims to open 7 new properties by 2023 in Indonesia, with 5 of them opening by the end of 2021

Indonesian sellers taking part in the virtual ITB Berlin NOW 2021 event gathered in a Bali hotel as the ‘Indonesian pavilion’, to give sellers a working environment close to a trade show, as well as showcase that business events can take place

Two tourist areas, Nongsa and Lagoi, in the Riau Islands are being prioritised for reopening tourism for both domestic and international visitors

The Health Minister has announced a 3-phase reopening of Indonesia, saying that they want Indonesia “to be the best and safest tourist destination in the world, with strict prevention protocols”: 1. Mar-Jun 2021: Reopen green zones such as Nusa Dua, Ubud 2. Jul-Dec 2021: strictly supervise all locals moving in and out of these green zones 3. Jan-Mar 2022: pilot program for selected countries 4. Apr 2022: fully reopen to all international tourists

The Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travels Agencies (ASITA) has criticised the Health Ministry’s plan to reopen Indonesia, saying that if the border is closed for another year the “situation will be even worse, especially since the soft loan program has not been realised by the central government”

The Minister of Tourism is focusing on sustainable tourism for recovery

Singapore and Indonesia have discussed establishing a travel bubble to help the tourism sector in both countries

Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park (TMII) saw visitors increase to 10,000 over the Nyepi holiday on Sunday, an increase vs the previous week

The Minister for Tourism has encouraged Borobudur to develop ecotourism

The influx of visitors at Borobudur Temple is causing high pressure on its structure, and the government plans to implement quality tourism there. A study showed that the temple’s ideal limit should be 128 visitors per time. The Borobudur-Yogyakarta-Prambanan Integrated Tourism Master Plan must also be implemented to boost the area’s tourism potential

The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) is calling for the government to reopen international borders. The Badung chapter has said that they were informed reopening would take place in 3 phases, with the official opening of the green zone in Apr 2022. If this were true, it would “only get much worse” for businesses on Bali

140 Singaporeans investors and business owners joined a webinar on tourism investment opportunities in Indonesia, including its new projects in Tanamori Labuan Bajo, Mandalika, and Borobodur temple

The Indonesian envoy to Singapore has said that the proposed travel bubble between Indonesia and Singapore could help tourism recovery. An initial travel bubble could involve Singapore and Bintan, Riau Islands

The Micro PPKM has increased community compliance, according to the government, leading to a drop in transmission

Indonesia’s unemployment rate has increased significantly due to the pandemic, reaching 9.7 million people in Aug 2020

The government has completed building 263 tourism accommodation facilities in Manado, to support he industry, under the Sarhunta program. These are renovations of locals’ homes which can be used as homestays. The Sarhunta program aims to rehabilitate 1,000 housing units in Lake Toba, 350 in Borobudur, 500 in Mandalika, 600 in Labuan Bajo and 300 in Manado

Ubud has said that it would need 32,000 of its residents to be vaccinated before reopening, and visitors must be tested on arrival for any international travel corridor. They would also plan a mandatory quarantine period of 5 days before tourists would ne allowed to visit areas not designated green zones

Bali’s governor has said that 3 areas in Bali will be designated green zones for international tourists: Ubud, Nusa Dua and Sanur

The Minister of Tourism will consider opening a COVID-free Corridor for Puncak area, Bogor Regency, so long as numbers remain low

The government will use the GeNose testing at cinemas, to encourage the public to support the film industry

Businesses and homes in Indonesia will enjoy reductions on electricity rates in Q2, but the discounts will be half of those previously

The state railway operator KAI has increased the number of long-distance train routes over the public holidays from 10-14 Mar by 9%

The Tourism Minister has said that the country will no longer chase a high number of tourist visits, but focus on sustainable and quality tourism instead medium-long term, from ”sea, sun, sand” to “sustainability, serenity and spirituality”

One of the countries which Indonesia will target as a source market for the COVID-Free Corridor is individual cities in Australia, with Perth or Melbourne being top targets. Indonesia has not yet discussed the plan with the Australian government

The Minister of Tourism is aiming to distribute 100 billion IDR to tourism businesses, as well as creative industries, in 2021

Malls in Jakarta are still seeing only around 30-40% visitation rates, due to the limits set by the government

Malls and restaurants in Bali are permitted to stay open until 10pm under the latest Micro PPKM rules

The Micro PPKM has been extended in Java and Bali for another 2 weeks, until 22 Mar

The Agriculture Ministry has called for agrotourism destinations to be promoted and developed

The UAE will develop a multi-million dollar tourism resort in Aceh province

The Tourism Minister has said that Likupang is a top priority, from infrastructure to the creative industries

tiket.com will partner with Antis, who will supply hand sanitisers to tiket.com’s hotel partners in Yogyakarta, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara

The Indonesian government will build Sanur in Bali into a Health Special Economic Zone focusing on medical tourism for the elderly

The Tourism Minister is optimistic about the vaccination program in Bali to revive tourism and the economy

A new website, Bali.com, has been launched as a one-stop information and tourism marketplace. It will partner with the Indonesian Tourism Ministry

Bali’s Nyepi will be observed for just one day in 2021, not3 days as has recently become tradition. The Ogoh-Ogoh parades have also been cancelled

The Tourism Minister, SOE Minister and Education and Culture ministers gathered together to discuss how to develop the tourism industry based on cultural heritage. They will also provide education facilities in the surrounding areas of Raja Ampat and Labuan Bajo

The government has called on MSME tourism businesses to modernise and produce technological innovation-based products

3 areas in Bali, Nusa Dua, Nusa Penida and Ubud will be designated green zones for international visitors for the COVID-Free Corridor

Public health experts are questioning whether opening up Bali’s “green zones” is feasible, claiming that Bali’s handling of the pandemic is not under control

The Minister for Tourism had a virtual meeting with Tony Fernandes of AirAsia, where he requested that AirAsia fly to the 5 super priority destinations in Indonesia, to bring back tourists from Thailand, China and India