The Secretary of the Bali Badung Regency of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI-Badun-Bali), Gede Sukarta, was quoted by NusaBali saying occupancy levels at Bali hotels and villas were “near-zero” as the Island enters the Chinese New Year period. Bemoaning the current condition in comparison to Chinese New Year of years past, Sukarta added on Tuesday, 09 February 2021, “If Imlek this year it’s zero!”
Barong-sai
Balinese Barong
Looking back to Chinese New Years’ in Bali 2017-2019, visitors to the Island celebrating the Lunar New Year period boomed. In these recent years, Imlek hotel occupancies ran between 80% and 90%. But, now, during the continuing pandemic, visitors, both foreign and domestic, are no longer traveling to mark the beginning of the year of the
NusaBali reports that Indonesia’s newly appointed
Minister of Tourism and the Creative Economy, Sandiaga S. Uno, is being called upon by members of Bali’s tourism industry to restore the Island’s economy quickly.
Minister of Tourism and the Creative Economy,
Sandiaga S. Uno
Given Sandiaga’s reputation as a successful millennial businessman and politician, many believe him uniquely qualified to revitalize national tourism.
The chairman of the
Bali Villa Association (BVA), I Gede Sukarta, commenting on the industry’s aspirational hopes for a revitalized tourism industry, said, “Sandiaga is innovative and must act quickly.”
Sukarta describes Bali Tourism as in a state of collapse due to the