Indonesia set to lift quarantine rules for overseas tourists

Indonesia will lift all quarantine requirements for overseas visitors entering the country, its tourism minister said Monday, two years after it imposed border restrictions due to COVID-19.

Tourism and Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno told reporters that foreign tourists will still be required to have a negative PCR test before entering the country. Quarantine requirements will be lifted from Tuesday, he added.

Indonesia had already implemented a two-week trial of quarantine-free travel in Bali, Batam and Bintan islands, where coronavirus numbers have been falling.

The government is hoping the easing of travel restrictions will boost the number of foreign tourist this year to over 3 million.

This month, Indonesia also lifted the negative COVID-19 test result as a requirement for domestic flights.

Indonesia reported on Monday 4,699 new coronavirus infections and 154 deaths in the last 24-hour period. Case numbers have dropped by more than 90% from their peak in mid-February.