Front page of the Sanur Weekly, is the tourism era over for Bali?

Fred2

Jetstar & Virgin have just about soled out for the first half of 2022 and there is no visa yet.

PERtoDPS

Fred2 wrote Jetstar & Virgin have just about soled out for the first half of 2022 and there is no visa yet.

Great marketing on their part, I foresee a lot of people getting stuck with a store credit voucher or re routing over Jakarta. Either way the airlines win if someone buys a "sale ticket" Sydney to Denpasar say and the route doesn't fly, of course they'll have to pay upgrade to come via Jakarta. Terms and conditions clearly state 95% of tickets are not refundable.

PERtoDPS

Where Are The Tourists? No International Tourists In Sight Even Four Weeks After Bali’s Reopening It comes at a price between $US250 and $US450, can only be obtained by using an agent and when you intend to use it you’ll learn that you have to quarantine for 2 nights and 3 days at a designated hotel at your own cost before you can start your holiday. You’re right, we’re talking about the tourist visa for foreign tourists to Bali. Including the quarantine packages family of 4 will have to fork out around $US2,500+ for their visa and the quarantine package before they are even able to set a foot on Bali soil. And this is only the cheapest option. Unfortunately, a lot of the officially designated “quarantine” hotels in Bali didn’t even bother to update the quarantine package offers on their websites in accordance with the latest regulations which, by the way, have been changed 4 times within the last weeks. Did we mention that, since Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport has been officially reopened more than 4 weeks ago, not a single international airline has shown any interest to start operating flights to Bali and that, even if you have somehow managed to get a tourist visa, you won’t be able to fly directly to Bali anyway? And we also don’t want to talk about the fact that the Indonesian Immigration is only issuing 1,500 of these special tourist visas per day which, besides the high cost and the time you have to spend in quarantine, does not add much of a positive experience and doesn’t look like Indonesia really wants you as a tourist. As a result of the constantly changing regulations, the difficulties to obtain a practically non-existing visa, the high costs involved and the lack of international flights international tourists are now obviously opting for a holiday in Thailand instead of Bali. Fully vaccinated tourists to Thailand who test negative for COVID-19 on arrival are free to start their holiday without any quarantine and are basically free to travel the country without any further restrictions. Last month Bali’s Governor, I Wayan Koster, proudly announced that 20,000 foreign tourists from 11 countries have booked their stay in Bali during November. Needless to say that not one of these tourists has ever shown up in Bali. Meanwhile, Koster admitted that he had received this number from Garuda Indonesia and that these tourists were supposed to be Japanese tourists adding that he actually was never given specific dates for their arrival. The Indonesian Association of Tours And Travel Agencies (ASITA) has confirmed that they did not receive any bookings from one of the 19 countries whose citizens are officially and theoretically eligible to fly directly to Bali. This brings us to another small anecdote. The above-mentioned list of 19 countries includes Liechtenstein, a thumbnail-sized country located between Switzerland and Austria in the middle of Europe. The fact that Liechtenstein doesn’t even have an international airport and that the neighboring countries are not included on the list of eligible countries clearly shows how carefully these 19 countries have been selected. Despite declining COVID-19 infection numbers Bali continues to suffer and we’re afraid that, without a drastic regulation change, this won’t change in the near future. https://sanurweekly.com/issues/Sanur-Weekly-526-Online.pdf I've got long term ties to the place and ladies here but if I was on the outside I would definitely not consider coming in to this as an outsider. Even before reading this article it was evident to me they're all choosing Thailand now from other forums, South America looks pretty sweet too. I think this place needs to shift off the whole tourism theme if it's going to take this approach. Expecting to see lots more bankrupt hotels and closed up areas like Kuta and Nusa Dua if nothing changes in 2022.

spicyayam

I am sure when they start regular free tourist visas with no quarantine, the floodgates will open. I am sure some people would like to see things move more quickly, but I think taking things slowly for now is a good idea.

Balifrog

spicyayam wrote I am sure when they start regular free tourist visas with no quarantine, the floodgates will open. I am sure some people would like to see things move more quickly, but I think taking things slowly for now is a good idea.

Not sure about that's right. 1st phrase as well as second. Meanwhile Thailand opened without quarantine and Vietnam is following.

harryopal

PERtoDPS wrote [I]",,,,,,the tourist visa for foreign tourists to Bali. Including the quarantine packages family of 4 will have to fork out around $US2,500+ for their visa and the quarantine package before they are even able to set a foot on Bali soil. And this is only the cheapest option...."[/I] Ahh yes, but these are "quality " tourists who will appreciate their quarantine not just back packer scum who are unwanted.

PERtoDPS

spicyayam wrote I am sure when they start regular free tourist visas with no quarantine, the floodgates will open. I am sure some people would like to see things move more quickly, but I think taking things slowly for now is a good idea.

That's the whole point that does not appear to be happening. They are clearly filtering the rich first, look at the visa requirements! Have a look at some forums with more traffic Bali is clearly falling off to Thailand, reasons why I can see in many posts: Stupid entry process that requires entry via the wrong city and quarantine costs at your expense to continue to line the pockets of the elite who have all the power. Bali is a cheap slum for Aussies who want to grab a week or weekend holiday, sure you can insulate yourself with money to a degree, but the roads are terrible, the beaches are over rated and dirty with a shit tonne of rubbish and plastic bottles as the main attraction (though have had a decent clean up in the pandemic). None of my friends will consider to visit me for all of these reasons. All the beaches in Perth easily 10x nicer than anything here. There is no doubt there are beautiful parts of Bali and fantastic nature also, but if you see Kuta as much more than an urban slum I think you have the beer goggles on. Vaccine mandates, there is no choice it's just rammed down your throat. Half of Europe is on fire and getting looted as we speak because of this, here there is no freedom of choice or opinion, just one way.

Foamcrest

“Half of Europe is on fire and getting looted” Really?? Just get vaccinated and stop the bull shit.

Foamcrest

“the dogs bark but the caravan moves on”

Balifrog

Foamcrest wrote “Half of Europe is on fire and getting looted” Really?? Just get vaccinated and stop the bull shit.

Half of Europe is maybe a bit exagerated.... , but it could get there. Not about vaccine, about freedom of choice.

PERtoDPS

“Half of Europe is on fire and getting looted” Really?? Just get vaccinated and stop the bull shit.

1/2 was a figure of speach: https://www.9news.com.au/world/coronavirus-europe-rioting-erupts-in-rotterdam-netherlands-over-covid-19-restrictions/85a6e49b-06e1-408b-be82-b71c4b2fe09c https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/20/dutch-police-fire-warning-shots-as-covid-riots-rock-rotterdam Not everybody believes the experimental covid vaccines with unknown longer term side effects are our only hope and salvation and some people feel they should have a choice. This far from the only city this view has been expressed.

PERtoDPS

Balifrog wrote Half of Europe is maybe a bit exagerated.... , but it could get there. Not about vaccine, about freedom of choice.

Look I agree. I'm vaccinated because I live here and want to travel, but I really don't like how I was forced in to that decision. That should be up to the individual not the government. I'm not one of these conspiracy theorists or anything like that, I just think the governments really overstepped their boundary on this one. The "one size fits all" approach I just don't think works that well. I have seen many people very sick from the vaccine, I don't think the official stats are that accurate. I've seen children pass out from it, my Mrs mum sick as hell and nearly dead for a month, copped some hellish side effects myself (though noted pre existing health issues). I just think we have handed over too much of our power. I don't want anarchy or looting shops or anything but I feel that's a manifestation of the peoples frustration.

Fred2

Bullfrog can you renew your retirement visa without been Vax? Have see stories of some people trying to renew their visa but were rejected because they were not Vaxed.

Balifrog

Fred2 wrote Bullfrog can you renew your retirement visa without been Vax? Have see stories of some people trying to renew their visa but were rejected because they were not Vaxed.

Yes, I just renewed mine. From Kitas to Kitap.

Balifrog

PERtoDPS wrote Look I agree. I'm vaccinated because I live here and want to travel, but I really don't like how I was forced in to that decision. That should be up to the individual not the government. I'm not one of these conspiracy theorists or anything like that, I just think the governments really overstepped their boundary on this one. The "one size fits all" approach I just don't think works that well. I have seen many people very sick from the vaccine, I don't think the official stats are that accurate. I've seen children pass out from it, my Mrs mum sick as hell and nearly dead for a month, copped some hellish side effects myself (though noted pre existing health issues). I just think we have handed over too much of our power. I don't want anarchy or looting shops or anything but I feel that's a manifestation of the peoples frustration.

Fully agree with you. I am not anti vax, even less a conspirationist, but I am not vaccinated and the ONLY reason I would do it would be if I had to travel. Considering that the rest of the world is at the moment in a more shitty situation than here, and considering I am retired I don't mind spending the rest of my days in Bali. Anyway this BS will die a natural death... I mean, how are they going to enforce to vaccinate the whole world population EVERY YEAR ? Come on, let's be serious .....

Markit

I'm so over this anti-vax assholery! At what stage of deaths and infections do you guys eventually agree that, yeah you've been on the wrong side of the argument since 2020? Probably never, right? Stupidity just keeps right on thrashing around trying to find reasons for their idiocy and ignoring all the signals and information. If pigheaded got prizes you guys would be "Oscar" winners, as it is the best you can hope for is a Darwin Award (https://darwinawards.com/). If you just killed yourselves it wouldn't be so bad but I seriously believe the active proponents of the Anti-vax movement should all be [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)][SIZE=5]charged as accessories to manslaughter.[/SIZE][/COLOR] You are responsible for dumb people following the shite you talk and getting infected and then dying. Think about that - you've probably killed people with your silly ideas... [SIZE=7][COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]5,000,000 and counting dumbies[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=5][/SIZE]

Balifrog

I'm so over this anti-vax assholery! At what stage of deaths and infections do you guys eventually agree that, yeah you've been on the wrong side of the argument since 2020? Probably never, right? Stupidity just keeps right on thrashing around trying to find reasons for their idiocy and ignoring all the signals and information. If pigheaded got prizes you guys would be "Oscar" winners, as it is the best you can hope for is a Darwin Award (https://darwinawards.com/). If you just killed yourselves it wouldn't be so bad but I seriously believe the active proponents of the Anti-vax movement should all be [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)][SIZE=5]charged as accessories to manslaughter.[/SIZE][/COLOR] You are responsible for dumb people following the shite you talk and getting infected and then dying. Think about that - you've probably killed people with your silly ideas... [SIZE=7][COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]5,000,000 and counting dumbies[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=5][/SIZE]

Feeling better now ? https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/ottawa-senators-covid-11637123408 "The Ottawa Senators Have a 100% Vaccination Rate—and 40% of the Team Has Tested Positive for Covid"

Markit

Feeling better now ? https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/ottawa-senators-covid-11637123408 "The Ottawa Senators Have a 100% Vaccination Rate—and 40% of the Team Has Tested Positive for Covid"

And your point is?

JackStraw

PERtoDPS wrote That's the whole point that does not appear to be happening. They are clearly filtering the rich first, look at the visa requirements! Have a look at some forums with more traffic Bali is clearly falling off to Thailand, reasons why I can see in many posts: Stupid entry process that requires entry via the wrong city and quarantine costs at your expense to continue to line the pockets of the elite who have all the power. Bali is a cheap slum for Aussies who want to grab a week or weekend holiday, sure you can insulate yourself with money to a degree, but the roads are terrible, the beaches are over rated and dirty with a shit tonne of rubbish and plastic bottles as the main attraction (though have had a decent clean up in the pandemic). None of my friends will consider to visit me for all of these reasons. All the beaches in Perth easily 10x nicer than anything here. There is no doubt there are beautiful parts of Bali and fantastic nature also, but if you see Kuta as much more than an urban slum I think you have the beer goggles on. Vaccine mandates, there is no choice it's just rammed down your throat. Half of Europe is on fire and getting looted as we speak because of this, here there is no freedom of choice or opinion, just one way.

What you described was Kuta/Legian/Seminyak/Canguu. That's just a small percentage of Bali bro. Outside of those urban beach slums, there are still plenty of amazing reasons to come to Bali. I still love this island just as much as the first day I arrived. If not more.

JackStraw

I'm so over this anti-vax assholery! At what stage of deaths and infections do you guys eventually agree that, yeah you've been on the wrong side of the argument since 2020? Probably never, right? Stupidity just keeps right on thrashing around trying to find reasons for their idiocy and ignoring all the signals and information. If pigheaded got prizes you guys would be "Oscar" winners, as it is the best you can hope for is a Darwin Award (https://darwinawards.com/). If you just killed yourselves it wouldn't be so bad but I seriously believe the active proponents of the Anti-vax movement should all be [COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)][SIZE=5]charged as accessories to manslaughter.[/SIZE][/COLOR] You are responsible for dumb people following the shite you talk and getting infected and then dying. Think about that - you've probably killed people with your silly ideas... [SIZE=7][COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]5,000,000 and counting dumbies[/COLOR][/SIZE]

And how many of these 5 million deaths were due to ONLY covid? That's the real number I'd like to know about. The vast majority of covid deaths are related to people with other underlying medical conditions. These same people would have died from the regular flu as well I'm sure.