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Gery Nutz has always been a fan of Asia.
At the age of 19, he spent four months in Afghanistan, followed by long trips to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Java, before landing in Bali in 1985 - and staying.
Since 1988 he has been showing tourists his favorite places in the interior of the island.
Pandemic and lockdown are forcing it, like the entire island, a new rhythm.
For Bali, which is dependent on tourism, the biggest turning point in history - but not a catastrophe.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
When was the last time you saw foreign tourists in Bali?
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Gery Nutz:
That was on March 19, 2020 when I was on an island tour with my last guests.
After that, I only met a few non-Indonesians.
You couldn't tell whether they were tourists or people who live here.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
Are there still long-term vacationers who “sit out” the pandemic in Bali?
Nutz:
Probably a few thousand.
Most of them consciously stayed here and don't even want to go back to their cold homeland.
Some of them are among the so-called digital nomads, who can work with their computer wherever there is internet.
This is of course quite pleasant under palm trees.
But some of them cannot go back at all, due to a lack of flight connections or because there is an entry ban in a transit country.
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WELT AM SONNTAG:
What about domestic tourism?
Nutz:
Bali was always supported by the neighboring island of Java in times of crisis.
Even now, vacationers from other Indonesian islands are coming, despite all Corona concerns - almost 100,000 during the New Year holidays in December.
But of course that is nothing compared to the more than six million guests that Bali had in 2019.
In many places, especially in the touristy south, it looks like a ghost island today.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
What is the current corona situation?
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Nutz:
The number of Covid 19 diseases is not very high compared to the population - Bali has a good four million inhabitants.
Since the census began on March 17, 2020, around 31,000 people in Bali have contracted Corona, over 27,000 have recovered and 839 have died.
There are currently around 3,000 active cases.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
What are the current rules?
Nutz:
In public there is a mask requirement, also on the streets, with a fine of 100,000 rupiah (5.80 euros) if one is caught violating it.
Mask gruff who cannot pay are ordered by the police to do push-ups on the spot.
But most of them stick to the rules.
There is currently a slight lockdown.
For example, restaurants may only be open until 9 p.m. and be 50 percent full.
The shopping centers have recently opened again.
And there is a rotation system for temple ceremonies so that not too many people are in the temple at the same time.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
What has changed for you personally as a result of the pandemic?
Nutz:
Since I'm a very active person, I can't have enough time even in the pandemic.
There has been some renovation work on my home and the guest villas that I rent out.
In addition, there are gardening, vegetable growing and juice production.
I never really had time for that before.
It's really fun!
WELT AM SONNTAG:
70 to 80 percent of Bali lives from tourism.
Has this income now completely disappeared?
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Nutz:
53 percent of the population are directly involved in tourism; indirectly, of course, a lot more of the vacationers, including craftsmen and farmers, live.
Many have suffered enormous losses since March.
Bali connoisseur and guide: Gery Nutz (right) on a hike through the rainforest in the north of the island
Source: Joachim Negwer Gery Nutz
WELT AM SONNTAG:
How do the people in Bali deal with it?
Is there poverty?
Nutz:
I am amazed how well the Balinese know how to deal with it.
Shortly after the outbreak of the pandemic, I thought that the crisis would hit the population very hard in the autumn, but that obviously did not happen.
Society has always functioned as a community system, people take care of each other and help each other.
It's much less selfish than in Europe, there is a positive spirit, the atmosphere is relaxed and hopeful.
Those who have savings renovate or do small projects and thus give others an income.
And many, especially from the tourism industry, are now growing fruit and vegetables on their small piece of land and selling what they don't eat themselves.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
What do you currently live on?
Nutz:
From the savings that were intended for later.
At least we haven't fired any of our employees so far and we hope to keep it up.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
Are you now increasingly calling the gods for help in Bali?
Nutz:
The islanders trust their gods and go about their usual routine.
Hindu ceremonies still take place, but only on a small scale.
Every yard in Bali has its own house temple, where the daily offerings are deposited, you don't have to go to the temple for that.
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WELT AM SONNTAG:
Before Corona, the excessive traffic in the south of the island was a big problem.
How is the situation now?
Nutz:
The traffic problem is actually not that significant at the moment.
Because people stick to the guidelines and mostly stay at home, there are not many working people out and about, and apart from the manageable number of domestic vacationers, there are no tourists.
On the weekends, people now like to go to the countryside or to the sea, because they are no longer in the constant traffic jam like before Corona.
Gojek and GrabTaxi, which offer delivery services by motorcycle, are also phenomenal.
So many people do shopping and food deliveries.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
Can you see from nature that there have been no tourists for around a year?
Nutz:
The tropical climate always leads to a lush nature, I don't want to say that it was significantly different before the pandemic.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
Is something going on on the beaches?
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Nutz:
Compared to normal times, the beaches have become much quieter.
In certain places, however, the local population has discovered the beaches for themselves and likes to stroll there.
The empty beaches on Bali now also attract locals to the sea
Source: AFP via Getty Images
WELT AM SONNTAG:
And are the beaches cleaner or dirtier than before Corona?
Nutz:
The beaches are still being cleaned by the district garbage organization.
There are also increasing numbers of private volunteers who collect rubbish, especially on weekends. The movement is called “Trash Hero”.
This is important, because plastic bottles in particular continue to wash up, Corona or not.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
How does it look in all the luxury resorts?
Is the green growing there?
Nutz:
In order to keep the lush tropical nature in check, according to my information, the gardeners in particular are still employed in all hotels.
Everyone wants to keep their facilities in good condition in order to be ready for an opening.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
There were plans to open Bali to tourism in the summer of 2020 under certain conditions.
Why didn't that work?
Nutz:
You had to adhere to national Indonesian guidelines, Bali was not given a special status.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
What could an opening look like?
Nutz:
Bali would like to strive for "bubble tourism", for example with Australia or New Zealand, where the number of infections is very low.
It has not been decided whether that will be possible.
Many business people and hoteliers are increasingly calling for the borders to be opened soon, with the usual health measures such as PCR tests and fever measurements.
You can also hear voices that prefer to allow tourists with corona vaccinations to enter.
Many countries only want to let in vaccinated people - Sweden and Denmark are planning digital vaccination records
In view of the corona mutants spreading in Europe, the 2021 vacation is on the brink.
Some countries want to introduce a vaccination certificate so that vaccinated people can travel freely.
And some airlines only want to take vaccinated people with them.
Source: WELT / Christoph Hipp
WELT AM SONNTAG:
Do you want to do everything after the opening as before the pandemic?
Back to mass tourism?
Nutz:
I believe that the tourism industry and the population would very much welcome sustainable tourism, and the government has also been thinking in this direction since the pandemic.
People have noticed that you can get by with less and they have rediscovered the beauties of their island.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
Your personal vision for tourism in Bali after the pandemic?
Nutz:
Before Corona, Bali was the ball man of the southern hemisphere in some corners, which should be avoided in the future.
The island needs less mass and more class.
My travel company always endeavored to show Bali in all its diversity, to take vacationers to places, to markets and to villages that are barely touched by tourism.
Such gentle tourism should definitely be offered more so that visitors get to know the soul of Bali.
But that assumes that Bali succeeds in maintaining its soul.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
How realistic is that?
Nutz:
The goodwill is there, but it is not enough.
It must be controlled with guidelines and good training programs.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
What are you missing the most at the moment?
Nutz:
The visit of my friends from all over the world.
I now use the phone much more often to keep up to date, but of course that is no substitute.
WELT AM SONNTAG:
Do you have an island fever after almost a year of pandemic?
Nutz:
I don't know any island fever.
In my 35 years in Bali I have not been away from the island for seven years and two for five years at a time.
You can spend your whole life here without missing anything.
Gery Nutz offers tours in old VW Kübelwagen to original places in Bali
Source: Joachim Negwer / CMR / Gery Nutz
About: Gery Nutz
Gery Nutz, 62, who was born in Lower Austria, has lived in Bali since 1985.
He has been in the tourism business since 1988.
With his small travel agency, he offers island tours in old VW bucket trucks to original locations on Bali (balivwtour.de) and rents out some villas in the interior of the island to tourists (villakompiangbali.de).
In addition, Nutz has been the Swiss honorary consul in Bali for seven years.
He has been an Indonesian citizen since 2006.
He is married to a Balinese woman and has two grown children.
This text is from WELT AM SONNTAG. We will be happy to deliver them to your home on a regular basis.
Source: Welt am Sonntag