Indonesian Government Commenced "Work from Bali" Program to Recover Tourism Sector

JAKARTA, 24 MAY 2021 - Indonesia is currently preparing for tourism industry recovery, and Bali is designated to be the pilot destination for the whole country. The preparation has been done in a mindful manner to make sure that future visitors get the most convenient experience once they return to Bali.

Following the decision to make Bali the pilot destination, The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment has commenced the “Work From Bali” program for state civil servants. This program will be executed by seven institutional ministries under the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs, namely the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the Ministry of Investment.

It is planned that the government will send 25% of state civil servants under those aforementioned ministries to participate in the “Work from Bali” program. In providing accommodation and facilities, a total of 16 hotels in the Nusa Dua area have coordinated with the Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), the manager of the Nusa Dua tourism area, to collaborate with the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment.

Head of the Communication Bureau of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Vinsensius Jemadu, said that this policy would encourage economic recovery after the recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He believes that this program will automatically increase the occupancy rate of hotels in the region.

However, the government is still considering the specification of the quota and types of work that can be done in the “Work from Bali” program. Moreover, there needs to be a regulation for the state civil servants to not include their families in the “Work from Bali” program.

"We recommend that the families should not be included, so we can fully maintain and supervise the mobilization to ensure the implementation of health protocols," said Vinsensius.

Currently, Bali has become the province with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate according to the data from the Ministry of Health. It is reported that Bali has completed the Phase I of COVID-19 vaccination in three green zones (Ubud, Sanur, and Nusa Dua) and is targeting to complete the Phase II by the end of July 2021.