Notwithstanding the fact that some visitors are not really tourists, foreign visitors are slowly returning to Bali.
Russia, which has quickly risen to become the second-largest country in terms of tourism to the Isle of the Gods, was placed second in terms of the number of visitors after Australia.
This Russian phenomenon is noteworthy since people from the nation that is presently at war with Ukraine choose to stay in Bali for extended periods of time rather than just travel there.
The Secretary of the Hanura Bali Party, Gde Wirajaya Wisna, commented on the increase in foreigners who have been residing in Bali for a considerable amount of time.
“Of course, we are pleased if tourists are returning to Bali. But we do hope that they are consciously travelling to Bali for touristic reasons,” he remarked on Monday, February 27, 2023.
He continued by saying that their length of stay is excellent for Bali’s tourism and economy. “But if for other reasons, say if they are secretly operating a company, then this must be criticized,” he continued.
Foreign visitors who remain a long time could start their own businesses to help pay their everyday expenses. If carried out lawfully and in accordance with permissions, it is encouraging because the investment will help Bali‘s economy.
The proliferation of unregistered business players who operate even in the area of micro, small, and medium firms is worrying.
“Check out social media”. According to him, they provide a wide range of services, including haircuts, spa treatments, and film and photo shoots.
It is understood that these enterprises are predominantly from Russians and mostly cater to Russian residents of Bali. Wisna further urged immigration to take more initiative in addressing this occurrence, and everyone who is aware of this purported irregularity is encouraged to inform the immigration authorities.
“Therefore, it is not advisable to make reporting requirements more onerous. For instance, the tourist’s passport number must be included,” he stated.
Statistics from the Bali Tourism Bureau revealed that 58,031 Russian visitors travelled to Bali in 2022. With a rise of 22,703 persons, the rising trend became apparent in January 2023.
Between January 2022 and January 2023, a total of 90,833 Russian and Ukrainian tourists visited Bali.
The Russian and Ukrainian foreign nationals who are accused of working illegally in Bali have received a response from Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno.
Uno said in Kuta on Thursday, February 23, “We still have the policy to make it easier for international tourists to enter Indonesia, but there must still be monitoring before they arrive in Indonesia whether they are carrying out tourism or non-tourism activities.”
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