Indonesia may allow foreign tourists to start returning to the popular resort island of Bali and other parts of the country by October after a sharp slide in COVID-19 cases, senior minister Luhut Pandjaitan said on Friday. The Southeast Asian nation intends to move cautiously to reopen its borders following a devastating second virus wave, driven by the Delta variant. FILE PHOTO: A man carries a surfboard at Kuta beach on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, which has seen a downturn in tourism following the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus. (Photo by SONNY TUMBELAKA / AFP) Luhut, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs, said the addition of confirmed cases of COVID-19 had dropped by 94.5% since a peak in mid-July. "We are happy today that the reprod...
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Vietnam plans to reopen the beach-fringed island of Phu Quoc to foreign tourists from next month, authorities said, as the country looks at ways to revive an economy suffering from extended lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic. The island, 10 km (6 miles) off the coast of Cambodia here, is expected to open for a trial period of six months, the government said in a statement issued late on Thursday. FILE PHOTO: A sunset is seen in a resort after the Vietnamese government eased the lockdown following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Phu Quoc island, Vietnam May 8, 2020. REUTERS/James Pearson Vietnam, which is currently shut to all visitors apart from returning citizens and investors, had managed to contain the virus for much of the pandemic but in the past three...
Read MoreIsrael will allow small foreign tour groups from selective countries to visit from Sept. 19 under a pilot programme to kick-start tourism, the government said on Sunday. Tour groups of between 5 and 30 people from countries on Israel's green, yellow and orange lists will be allowed to enter the country provided all group members have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the tourism ministry said. FILE PHOTO: Beachgoers hang out on the shore of the Mediterranean sea in Tel Aviv as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions eased in Israel May 21, 2020. REUTERS/Amir Cohen Individual tourists, who have not been allowed to visit Israel since the outset of the coronavirus pandemic there in March 2020 unless they are visiting family members, will still not be allowed to enter outsi...
Read MoreAll people aged 18 and above have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Khajuraho town of Madhya Pradesh, leading the tourism industry to be optimistic about the business gaining momentum at the world famous destination in the coming days. While making the announcement on Saturday, MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan attributed the success in vaccination to the awareness of people of Khajuraho, located in Chhatarpur district, about 375 km from the state capital Bhopal. The Khajuraho temples, which are a UNESCO world heritage site, are situated in the backward Bundelkhand region of the state. Tourism industry stakeholders feel the business will now pick up in the area. "During the pandemic, all big and small hotels in Khajuraho were completely shut as the local hospitalit...
Read MoreIndonesia's government will wait until COVID-19 cases fall significantly before opening Bali to foreign tourists, the country's tourism minister said in an interview. The coronavirus pandemic has devastated the economy of Bali, for decades a magnet for holidaymakers thanks to its spectacular beaches, vibrant nightlife and distinctive Hindu culture. "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)," Indonesia's Minister for Tourism and the Cultural Economy, Sandiaga Uno, told Reuters in an interview on Monday. "We will be waiting for the situation to be more conducive." Coronavirus infections have surged across Indonesia in recent weeks, including in Bali, where there has been a f...
Read MoreA Thai tiger park in Phuket is gearing up to welcome back overseas visitors this week, as businesses on the resort island hope to benefit from a pilot programme to allow fully vaccinated tourists in the Southeast Asian country. Under the plan, foreign tourists vaccinated against COVID-19 can bypass quarantine requirements and freely move around the island. After 14 days, barring any coronavirus issues, they can travel elsewhere in Thailand. A tiger jumps into a pool following a cardboard box held up by its trainer in Tiger Kingdom zoo, as Phuket gets ready to open its doors to overseas tourists from July 1 allowing fully vaccinated foreigners to visit the resort island without quarantine, Phuket, Thailand June 28, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva The general manager of Tiger Kingdom sai...
Read MoreCzech restaurants, bars and nightclubs can serve customers indoors from Monday, Health Minister Adam Vojtech said, announcing a quicker-than-planned easing of COVID-19 restrictions following a court ruling. The Czech Republic will also open up to tourists from some European and overseas countries who have at least had their first COVID-19 shot, effective Tuesday. The Czech government, which has been battling one of the world’s most severe second waves of the pandemic, had planned to open indoor facilities from mid-June. A bartender drafts a plastic bottle of beer as the Deminka pub remains closed due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions in Prague, Czech Republic,. REUTERS/David W Cerny But last week the Supreme Administrative Court ruled that blanket restrictions...
Read MoreIsrael reopened its borders to foreign tourists on Sunday after a fall in COVID-19 infections but said it would take time for visitors to start arriving and to revive the tourism industry. Under an easing of coronavirus restrictions, the government went ahead with a plan to start letting in small groups of tourists from countries using vaccines it has approved. FILE PHOTO: A woman wears a face mask as she sits by the Mediterranean Sea in Tel Aviv as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions were eased in Israel May 21, 2020 REUTERS/ Amir Cohen Foreign airlines are also resuming flights they suspended when Palestinian militants began rocket attacks on Israel this month. A ceasefire has now halted the fighting, helping the government meet Sunday's target date for starting the pla...
Read MoreInstead of the traditional sand and sea holidays, foreign tourists are invited to enjoy the charms of the Spanish countryside, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday, launching an ambitious plan to save Spain’s dying villages. The 10 billion euro ($12.18 billion) plan aims to save rural life in a nation where 42% of villages are at risk of depopulation compared to a European Union average of 10%. FILE PHOTO: A villager drinks coffee at the only bar in Peleas de Abajo, in northwestern Spain. REUTERS/Susana Vera “I would especially like to emphasize that (tourists) should enjoy the rich rural tourist attractions that our country has, one of the jewels in the crown,” Sanchez told a meeting in Madrid of mayors from rural towns. From Monday, Spain will open up to tourists fr...
Read MoreDubai on Monday eased COVID-19 restrictions, allowing hotels in the regional tourism hub to operate at full capacity and permitting concerts and sports events where all attendees and participants have been vaccinated. The United Arab Emirates ranks highly globally for COVID-19 testing and vaccination rates. Social distancing and compulsory face masks will continue, Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management said. Capacities for restaurants and entertainment venues also increased. !function(e,t,c,a){if(!e.fwn&&(a="fwn_script",n=e.fwn=function(){ n.callMethod?n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments) },e._fwn||(e._fwn=n),n.queue=[],!t.getElementById(a))){var d=document.createElement("script"); d.async=1,d.src=c,d.id=a,t.getElementsB...
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