Yogyakarta Will Tighten Tourists Who Come During Christmas And New Year Holidays

YOGYAKARTA - The Yogyakarta City Government plans to tighten travel rules and apply health protocols during the Christmas and New Year 2022 holidays to anticipate the potential increase in COVID-19 cases.

"In detail, there is no information from the center regarding the new rules that will be set during the Christmas and New Year holidays. However, for local governments what needs to be done is to ensure that there are no large crowds," said Yogyakarta Deputy Mayor Heroe Poerwadi as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, December 7.

According to him, efforts to anticipate the emergence of potential crowds can be done by tightening travel rules and implementing health protocols so that travelers are required to undergo two vaccinations.

Cooperation with tourism service businesses such as hotels, continued Heroe, because it is possible for tourists who come during the Christmas and New Year holidays to be dominated by family groups with private vehicles.

"Tourists will definitely come directly to the hotel so that the fulfillment of travel requirements is very important to be checked again when they arrive in Yogyakarta," he said.

Meanwhile, for tourists who come in groups using tourism buses, Heroe said that he will continue to apply the one gate system policy, namely screening at Giwangan Terminal to ensure all tourists have been vaccinated.

“Over the past three months, it can be said that the cases in Yogyakarta City are very well under control. Many patients who are confirmed positive do not show any symptoms of illness," he said.

In addition, examinations carried out on close contacts of patients also showed that there was no widespread transmission.

"This is possible because all residents in Yogyakarta have been vaccinated so that herd immunity has been created. So, during the Christmas and New Year holidays, the important thing is to make sure the tourists who come are in good health," he said.

The abolition of the plan for implementing PPKM Level 3 nationally during the Christmas and New Year holidays, continued Heroe, would be welcomed by the community and economic actors.

“Although it is possible to increase mobility, it will not be too high because schools are also not closed. However, restrictions must still be carried out with the implementation of strict health protocols," he said.

On New Year's Eve, Heroe made sure not to give permission for crowds that could invite large crowds.

"We will coordinate with the police and TNI as well as other authorities to break the concentration of the crowd. We have prepared a strategy so that there are no crowds," he said.