Indonesia may allow foreign tourists to travel to the resort island of Bali and other parts of the country by October, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has said.

On Bali island of Indonesia. (Photo: Anadolu)

Speaking during a September 19 press conference, he stated that tourists from the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore and New Zealand are under consideration to be the first ones to travel to the country, given the low virus spread in those nations.

Reopening to foreigners hinged upon 70 percent of the target population receiving their first COVID-19 shot, Luhut said.

Data of the Indonesian Ministry of Health showed that more than 21 percent of the targeted 208 million have been fully vaccinated, while almost 40 percent have received their first shot.

The number of new confirmed cases in Indonesia has dropped by 94.5 percent since a peak in mid-July, with the national hospital bed occupancy rate falling below 15 percent.

Malaysia this week reopened its Langkawi island to domestic visitors, while Thailand has opened Phuket and Samui islands to vaccinated foreign tourists.

Source: VNA