This archive report was first published on 24 August 2020.
On August 24, 2020, Bali's governor, I Wayan Koster, announced that the island would not be reopening to foreign tourists for the remainder of 2020.
The decision comes after Bali had initially planned to reopen its beaches, temples, and other tourism spots to foreign visitors on September 11, 2020.
However, concerns over Indonesia's rising number of coronavirus cases and travel bans in many foreign countries led to the cancellation of the plan.
Indonesia has seen a significant increase in virus cases, with over 153,000 confirmed cases and at least 6,680 deaths nationwide.
Despite Bali's relatively low number of cases, with 49 deaths and over 4,000 cases, the island's governor cited the need for caution and careful preparation before reopening to international tourists.
“The situation in Indonesia is not conducive to allow international tourists to visit Indonesia, including…Bali,” Koster said in an official letter.
