The Indonesian island of Bali will enlist 4,400 online influencers to help revive its tourism industry, which has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic.
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A statement from the island’s tourism department indicated that the influencers will enjoy free trips around Bali from October to November and post their experiences on social media in a campaign called “We love Bali”.
“COVID-19 has dealt a serious blow to Bali’s economic, social and health sectors, including tourism,” the office said.
It added that at least 75,000 people, who worked in the tourism industry had either been laid off or furloughed.
The campaign is aimed at promoting a “new era” of tourism which requires visitors to observe health guidelines including wearing masks, socially distancing, and washing hands frequently.
The government hopes it will also stimulate economic activity in places visited by the participants.
Bali reopened to visitors from other parts of Indonesia at the end of July.
Plans to reopen to foreign tourists on Sept. 11 were shelved after new cases soared.
As of Wednesday, Bali has recorded 8,126 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 236 deaths.
Nationwide, the number of coronavirus cases rose by 4,465 on Wednesday, a record daily jump, to 257,388, according to the Indonesian Health Ministry.
The country’s death toll stood at 9,977.