Famed for its volcanic mountains, Instagram-worthy beaches and rice terraces, the resort island of Bali in Indonesia is keen to boost tourism by offering Covid-19 vaccinations to travellers.
The South-East Asian nation’s government said on Monday that vaccines would be available to both domestic and international tourists.
Plans include free access to AstraZeneca and Sinovac for domestic travellers, and paid access to Sinopharm and other jabs for foreign travellers, reported the Financial Times.
The initiative was announced by Sandiaga Uno, Indonesia's Minister for Tourism and the Cultural Economy.
No launch date has been set for the plan which remains subject to approval by President Joko Widodo.
The global pandemic has devastated the economy of Bali, which relies heavily on tourism.
The paradisiacal island surrounded by the Java Sea has been a prime holiday destination for decades thanks to its stunning beaches, vibrant nightlife, and thriving coral reefs and seas.
Bali to delay reopening plans
Plans to reopen the island to international holidaymakers are also set to be delayed.
"We were targeting end of July, beginning of August, but we just have to be mindful of where we are in this recent spike [in coronavirus cases]," Uno told Reuters in an interview on Monday.
Case numbers have surged across Indonesia in recent weeks, including in Bali.
Indonesia recorded a record high of 21,342 daily cases on Sunday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. In Bali, cases numbers are averaging around 200 a day, reports Reuters.
Uno told journalists he wanted Bali's daily coronavirus infections to drop to 30 or 40 per day before reopening the country to visitors.
Domestic travellers can continue to visit Bali from across the country, but they must now have a negative PCR test before entering the island.
Visa-free travel to international visitors is suspended and only those with pre-approved visas who are willing to quarantine for five days in Jakarta can enter as a tourist.
Bali also has plans to attract more digital nomads to the island with a five-year visa and zero tax on earnings from overseas initiatives, according to Reuters.
More than six million travellers visited the island in 2019. In 2020, the island welcomed around 1 million tourists before the Covid-19 pandemic halted visits.
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30:
- UAE bt Nepal by 78 runs
- Hong Kong bt Singapore by 5 wickets
- Oman bt Malaysia by 2 wickets
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000, 2,400m
Winner: Recordman, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000, 2,200m
Winner: AF Taraha, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Dhafra, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000, 1,600m
Winner: AF Momtaz, Fernando Jara, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000, 1,600m
Winner: Optimizm, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
