First China to Bali flight after COVID rules ease

(22 Jan 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali - 22 January 2023
1. Various of Bali tourism officials placing flowers on Chinese tourists arriving at Ngurah Rai airport in Bali
2. Balinese dancers welcoming Chinese tourists
3. Various of tourists with flowers around their necks watching Balinese dancing
4. Various of tourists arriving
5. Various of groups of Chinese tourists leaving arrival gate
6. Mid of Field Xu, Marketing Director of Shenzhen travel service checking in and greeting tourists
7. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Field Xu, Marketing Director of Shenzhen travel service:
"I think that the Chinese people are very happy to see that Chinese government has opened the cross-border travels and are looking forward to travelling to every corner of the world.”
8. Mid of female tourists
9. SOUNDBITE (English) An-Pei, Chinese tourist:
“I feel very happy and relaxed. It was a long time we did not go abroad."
10. Group of tourists listening to directions from group leader
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Xiao Po Yu, Chinese tourist:
"I will stay for one week here and I am very happy as this is the first time coming here."
12. Group of Chinese tourists leaving airport

STORYLINE:
A direct flight from China landed in Indonesia’s resort island of Bali for the first time in nearly three years on Sunday, after the route was suspended due to the pandemic.

At least 210 people were on board the chartered plane operated by Indonesia’s Lion Air from Shenzhen in China's southern Guangdong province.

Shenzen Travel Service organised the first arrival of a group of tourists from China to Bali.

Some Chinese tourists who arrived at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport said they were glad to have the chance to travel internationally again after China ended its strict COVID-19 restrictions.

“I feel very happy and relaxed. It was a long time we did not go abroad,” said An Pei, a Chinese tourist who was on the flight.

The flight followed the Chinese government’s decision to lift travel restrictions announced on January 8 and it coincided with the start of the Lunar New Year, which was being marked Sunday.

"I will stay for one week here and I am very happy as this is the first time coming here," said tourist Xiao Po Yu.

The Shenzhen-to-Bali route will operate once a week during its initial phase, according to a statement from Danang Mandala Prihantoro, a spokesperson for Lion Air.

Indonesia is targeting 255,000 tourists from China in 2023. Indonesia recorded 94,924 visits from China from January to October 2022. More than 2 million tourists from China visited Indonesia each year before the pandemic.

The return of Chinese tourists is expected to support the overall target of foreign tourist arrivals this year. Indonesia aims to record 3.5 million to 7.4 million foreign visits, said Sandiaga Uno, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, in a statement Friday. China is one of the largest markets for inbound tourism in Indonesia.

Indonesia's government is exploring ways to attract more Chinese tourists, including the possibility of direct flights from three main cities in China, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

AP Video shot by: Sigit Purwono

===========================================================

Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected].

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...