By: Putu Prawira )*
The Covid-19 pandemic has destroyed not only the public health sector, but also the economy, especially tourism. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic that is still happening, the community also supports government policies to restore safe tourism based on health protocols so that the people’s economic wheels can rotate but are safe from the transmission of disease outbreaks.
The tourism sector is one of the most affected during the pandemic, this is very evident in people who work as handicraft sellers where their turnover has decreased by up to 80%.
To rise from this downturn, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) recommends the Ministries / agencies and tourism stakeholders to increase synergy, so that tourism in Bali can show safe tourist destinations based on health protocols.
BIN also recommended that the Bali Provincial Government and all stakeholders intensify supervision of the implementation of health protocols in preventing the spread of Covid-19 with law enforcement.
This recommendation was conveyed by Deputy VII BIN, Wawan Hari Purwanto in a discussion “to guard the rise of Bali tourism based on health protocols for economic recovery in Bali”.
Wawan also reminded that the Covid-19 pandemic that hit Indonesia since March 2020, not only had an impact on the health sector, but also destroyed tourism. No exception in Bali which is the largest foreign exchange contributor to the country from the tourism sector.
Other sub-sectors that are also affected include transportation, accommodation to MSMEs. The Bali Provincial Government shows data that due to the paralysis of tourism, as of August 2020, 73,631 workers have been sent home. In addition, 2,667 workers have even been laid off. In terms of income, Bali has lost IDR 9.7 trillion.
The heavy pressure on Bali tourism is also shown by the number of foreign tourist arrivals which decreased by 99 percent. This refers to BPS data as of June 2020, where that month there were only 32 foreign tourists visiting Bali. Whereas a month earlier, June 2019, there were still 549,516 foreign tourists visiting Bali.
Spokesperson for the Covid-19 Impact Management Task Force of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Ari Julianno Gema, said that his party is preparing efforts to restore tourism affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
This assistance was given to regions whose economies were affected by the fall of tourism during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In addition, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has also prepared a health protocol guide as a reference for opening tourism support industries, such as hotels and restaurants. This was done in order to prepare for the next stage, namely pre-conditions.
Deputy Governor of Bali Tjokorda Oka Ardana (Cok Ace) said that the Covid-19 pandemic that has crippled Bali tourism for more than 6 months should be used as a momentum to restructure Bali tourism.
The Ubud castle figure said that this pandemic gave Bali time to rest for a while.
On different occasions, Deputy Chairperson of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), Hetifah Sjaifudian assessed that a sense of security and ease of transportation were the keys to the recovery of the tourism sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. So despite the recovery of the tourism sector, it remains focused on strengthening the implementation of health protocols.
One problem that needs attention is that expensive tickets seem to be a concern for tourism actors. This is because one of the indicators of feeling safe for traveling is that there are no travel tires to the intended destination.
KADIN representative, Kosmian Pudjiaji stated that economic stimulus for transportation services must be provided. Transportation policy support also needs to be made as easy as possible.
On the other hand, aviation and tourism industry stakeholders held a safe travel campaign entitled safe travel campaign at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport last August. This campaign was initiated by a number of agencies, namely the Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (INACA). The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), the Indonesian airline AirAsia, PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero), and PT Angkasa Pura I (Persero).
This campaign aims to convince people to return to travel safely. As well as to restore the tourism sector and the economy which was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Now the number of domestic tourists in Bali is also starting to increase, of course this shows signs of recovery for Bali tourism.
However, the public and tourists should not be influenced by calls from anyone not to comply with health protocols. Because if the opening for domestic tourists does not go well, it is not impossible that tourism in Bali will experience a setback. But if this is done well, of course the economic contraction will show an increase.
)* The author is a contributor to the Cikini Press Circle and Students