Published on : Thursday, March 5, 2020
Temples across the Island of the Gods were filled with devotees who hoped that incense-and-flower offerings would actually assist Hindu-majority Bali, after a drastic decline in Chinese visitors impacted its key tourism sector.
“We’re praying for good things in this universe and that the virus is gone soon so Bali’s tourism can bounce back,” said priest Made Langgeng Buwana during the recent February Galungan celebration in the capital Denpasar.
Concerns due to the rapidly-spreading outbreak prompted Indonesia to shut all flights to and from China last month, and this dealt a heavy blow to scores of Bali businesses including restaurants, hotels, travel agents, wedding planners and Mandarin-speaking interpreters.
Around a million Chinese tourists visit Bali each year, comprising the largest group of foreign visitors after Australians, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy.
In Bali, some China-focused businesses have closed, while others are on the brink of bankruptcy.
“There was a drop then but not something like this,” said Robin, 29, an Indonesian interpreter who guided wealthy Chinese around the island.
Jakarta has announced more than $700 million for boosting Southeast Asia’s biggest economy as its tourism sector got affected, while Bali officials hope that social media influencers can help attract more visitors.
Tags: bali tourism