Coronavirus: stranded Chinese tourists in Bali extend holiday amid fears over epidemic

An official said Jakarta would help Chinese visitors with visas if they did not want to return yet

The outbreak has hit the country’s tourism industry after flights to China and visas on arrival for Chinese citizens were suspended

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Chinese tourists are among the biggest groups of visitors to Indonesia. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:00am, 8 Feb 2020Updated: 5:34pm, 14 Feb 2020

Steven Gu, a Chinese tourist on the Indonesian island of Bali, was supposed to fly back last month from his holiday to his hometown in Jiangsu province to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

But when he learned about the coronavirus outbreak in China, Gu, who has been in Bali since mid-January, decided to extend his stay with his wife, child and his parents.

“The epidemic in China is very serious now, therefore I hope to keep my family safe by staying in Bali,” Gu said.

He is not alone. Thousands of Chinese tourists on the resort island have opted to remain amid fears over the coronavirus, which has killed more than 600.

A Bali-based law and human rights ministry official, Sutrisno, said authorities would help Chinese tourists with visas if they did not want to return yet.

“We will extend their stay for one month. Every visa on arrival can be extended once and for 30 days. But if their country is not safe to return we will help to facilitate this for humanitarian purposes,” said Sutrisno, who uses one name.