Over 73,000 people in Bali furloughed, 2,500 laid off due to COVID-19 crisis
by Coconuts BaliMore than 73,000 people have been furloughed during the COVID-19 crisis in Bali, with another 2,500 having lost their jobs, as the fallout of the coronavirus outbreak continues to take its toll on people’s livelihoods this year.
Bali Governor Wayan Koster reported the latest estimates over the weekend, warning that the numbers will likely increase as the pandemic goes on.
“We are here to report that more than 73,000 people have been furloughed. Over 2,500 were laid off. I figure if the pandemic continues these numbers will also increase,” Koster said.
Koster added that Bali’s tax revenue from hotels and restaurants saw a significant decline, with the example of Badung regency, where popular tourist spots Kuta and Seminyak is located, being one of the worst affected.
The governor said that Badung normally earns between IDR200 billion (US$13.4million) and IDR400 billion, but had only reported revenue of around IDR6 billion (US$403,000) before July. The reopening of Bali to domestic tourism on July 31, however, was perceived as helpful on that front, as the regency reported revenue of around IDR11.5 billion last month.
Bali has taken the biggest economic hit in Indonesia from the pandemic, with the central bank reporting a contraction of 10.98 percent in the province for the second quarter of this year.
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