Domestic tourism to be opened soon: Covid cases under control
This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.
Investor Daily - Pariwisata Domestik Segera Dibuka: Kasus Covid Terkendali
30 September 2021
By: Eva Fitriani
Jakarta – With the Covid-19 pandemic under control, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is opening domestic tourism soon. Hence, the Tourism and Creative Economy Minister, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, reminds all parties to follow health protocols.
Besides that, he said that the implementation of the CHSE (cleanliness, health, safety, and environment sustainability) certification must be accepted by businesses to recover the tourism and creative economy sector and to welcome a new tourism era.
“There is one formula to recover the tourism and creative economy sector, which is to handle Covid-19,” Sandiaga Uno said during the virtual talk show held by the National Agency on Border Management (BNPP) titled Sektor Pariwisata Bersiap Bangkit, Prokes Covid-19 Tetap Diterapkan (Tourism Sector Preparing to Recover, Covid-19 Health Protocols Still Implemented) on Wednesday (29/8).
According to Sandiaga, the government’s commitment to end the Covid-19 pandemic is proven from the award received by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) during the Global Tourism Forum. The President received an award as a global tourism figure. The reason for this award is not because Indonesia will open its tourism sector soon, but because of its awareness and its Covid-19 handling that are reckoned should be followed by other countries.
“This cannot make us arrogant. We must remain careful, but I see a bright prospect for the recovery of the tourism and the economic sector through CHSE implementation,” Sandiaga revealed.
The importance of CHSE implementation, which has become the gold standard, will be improved through Peduli Lindungi application integration. CHSE and the Peduli Lindungi application is expected to provide comfort and a sense of security for tourists.
“CHSE is realised through cooperation where all parties are collaborating. As the gold standard, this certification will be integrated with the Peduli Lindungi application. We will continue dissemination with citizens through our friends at PHRI (Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association) and Asidewi (Association of Indonesian Tourist Villages) as the frontliners,” he stated.
During the occasion, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is also collaborating with all parties to accelerate vaccinations against Covid-19. The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry has also prepared several scenarios to open tourism, including upskilling and reskilling tourism workforce to implement CHSE in tourism and creative economy activities.
“We are observing the situation as the Health Ministry said that there would be a new Covid-19 variant and a third wave, so we have to prepare ourselves better. Moreover, the government will open international tourism, which must be carried out carefully and full of awareness,” Sandiaga said.
The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is targeting tourism’s contribution to foreign exchange to increase by 350% to US$1.7 billion next year. Moreover, the movement of domestic tourists is set to reach 260 to 280 million, which is higher than the estimation this year at 198 to 220 million in 2022.
Previously, Finance Minister, Sri Mulyani, said that the government was fully committed to support the recovery of the tourism and creative economy sector. The government will use various instruments, such as tax incentives, electricity payment incentives, grants, as well as expenditure using state and regional budgets.
“The expenditure budget will not only be provided by the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry as tourism has many dimensions. So, it can be provided by other ministries that are coordinated by the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry to be a package for better tourism,” she explained.
