(CNN) — International travelers are returning to the popular resort island of Bali as the coronavirus pandemic subsides, hopes that Indonesia’s battered tourism industry is on the road to recovery. is rising.
Restructuring of travel agency
“From our perspective as players in the tourism industry, this law will be very counterproductive for Bali’s tourism industry, especially the chapter on sex and marriage,” said The Association, the country’s largest tourism group. of The Chairman Putu Winastra said. Indonesian Tour and Travel Agency (ASITA).
The new law is seen as a response to the rise of religious conservatism in Muslim-majority Indonesia in recent years, with some parts of the country enforcing strict Islamic laws. In Bali, the majority of the population is Hindu and as a result tends to have a more liberal social environment that appeals to Western tourists.
Indonesian parliamentarians have defended the new law, arguing it is an attempt to meet “popular aspirations” in a diverse country. He said it would not be easy for the country to enact criminal laws that “address all interests.”
Winastra says he and others were caught off guard by the new law because he felt the government was so keen to increase foreign tourist arrivals. “Now there will be rules and laws that will burden tourists and the industry,” he added.
Like most major tourist attractions around the world, Bali has suffered major economic turmoil during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But as the pandemic recedes, government and tourism industry officials are predicting a healthy comeback, which could bring billions of dollars in revenue to the Indonesian economy.
Local guide Ken Cuttto told CNN Travel that he believed the tourism industry was “on the right track” after G20 leaders held a summit in Bali in November.
The hotel was bustling with delegates, said Ken, who was “excited” to be busy carrying tourists around the island.
“The G20 was great for those of us who were out of work during the pandemic,” he said. “It really brought Bali to life.”
Now, just as momentum has started to pick up again, some worry that momentum will be cut.
What you need to know
Tourists are returning to Bali as the pandemic abates.
Johannes P. Christ/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Under the new penal code, anyone convicted of adultery or premarital sex, whether Indonesian or foreigner, could be sentenced to 12 months in prison. It is not yet clear how these laws will be enforced.
“Do tourist couples (visiting Bali) have to prove they are married? Do they have to ask if they are married?” Putu wonders.
“Now foreign tourists will think twice about traveling to Bali as they can be jailed for violating the law.”
Hoteliers have also opposed the law, saying it would be difficult to enforce.
Ida Bagus Purwa Sidemen, secretary general of Indonesia’s Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) said, “Ask a couple if they are married or not is a very private sphere and an impossible task.
Saidmen believes the Indonesian government will review the law after public backlash. “We can’t ask every couple about their legal marital status. That would cause big problems for us,” he said.
“But what happens to us now if new laws scare tourists? Will we go back to what we were during the pandemic?
“Governments cannot enforce laws that want tourists (income) and at the same time scare people. It makes no sense.”
