Bali reopens for vaccinated international tourists

The resort island of Bali is reopening to foreign travelers from all countries, with direct international flights resuming for the first time in two years. But mandatory quarantine remains in place for all visitors. In October, Bali had said it would begin welcoming foreign arrivals from 19 countries that meet World Health Organization criteria.

But there were no direct international flights to Bali until Thursday, when Garuda Indonesia, the state-owned airline, operated its first international flight in two years from Tokyo to Bali. Singapore Airlines will introduce a regular direct route to and from Denpasar in Bali starting Feb. 16. Fully vaccinated travelers still need to quarantine for five days.

Travelers with just one dose of COVID-19 vaccine must quarantine for seven days. The island was closed to international flights after COVID-19 hit Indonesia - the world's fourth most populous country - in 2020.Tourism is the main source of income in Bali, which is home to more than 4 million people. Indonesia has reported more than 4.4 million total COVID-19 cases, including 27,197 new infections and 38 deaths on Thursday in the latest 24-hour period.