Tourism still goes on around the island but with plenty of health precautions

Image: Cok Ace keeping positive as always. Credit: FB Tjokorda Oka Sukawati.

Even though the worldwide Coronavirus outbreak still has many concerned, tourists, especially foreign travelers, still appear to feel safe and comfortable to walk around and spend their holidays in Bali.

The Deputy Governor Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati aka Cok Ace was out and about earlier today visiting tourist hotspots around the Ubud area to ascertain the impact of the Corona virus issue on tourism. He visited the Monkey Forest Tourism Park in Padangtegal Customary Village, Ubud, Gianyar.

Deputy Governor Cok Ace explained to reporters the visit was to monitor the impact of the Corona virus threat and the related decision of the President of Indonesia to employ social distancing or keeping a distance from social activities. The deputy governor seemed to be cheered by the sight of many tourists at Monkey Forest in Ubud.

While briefly greeting several tourists, the deputy governor said told reporters that the tourists he spoke to still felt safe and comfortable to walk around and spend their holidays in Bali. He noted that the visitors said they protected themselves with a healthy lifestyle, taking vitamins and equipping themselves with hand sanitizers.

He also noted that officers at the facility prepared hand sanitizers for tourists when entering or while exiting the forest. Besides that, body temperature checks were also being carried out at the entrance. The travelers were also reminded by officials not to shakes hands or touching their own faces so that exposure to this virus can be minimised.

Deputy Governor Cok Ace added, until now the government has not issued a policy to close tourism facilities on the island due to various considerations. But it is expected that officers at the tourist attractions are ready to implement health security for the visitors. Like preparing hands sanitizers, checking body temperatures and providing education to tourists. The deputy governor reiterated that he hoped the coronavirus will pass quickly so that everything can again run normally.

It has also been noted that most restaurants and entertainment venues all over the island are now also doing temperature checks and using sanitisers at their entrances in order to keep their guests as healthy as possible. Petitenget’s Shishi Lounge and Kitchen informed Seminyak Times that they have already installed two ozone generators that are employed two hours before opening to clean the air in the venue, as well as having temperature checks by professional nurses and hand sanitisers at the entrance.