9,605 Tourism Business In Bogor Affected By Pandemic

BOGOR - The Bogor Regency Government, West Java, recorded that 9,605 tourism business actors in their area were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"A total of around 9,605 tourism actors are affected, ranging from tourist attractions, hotels, to restaurants. There are various kinds, some have been laid off, temporarily laid off, and only get half their salary", said Bogor Regent Ade Yasin, quoted by Antara, Monday, July 12.

According to him, the downturn began at the beginning of the pandemic which required all tourist attractions to be closed.

The head of the Bogor Regency COVID-19 Handling Task Force admitted that he had classified tourism actors as a priority for vaccine recipients, as an initial step to recovering the tourism sector.

Ade Yasin is also now focusing on developing the economic potential of tourism, especially those based on conservation. He carries out a national economic recovery strategy through the development of village tourism.

Ade Yasin even clustered four aspects of tourism development, namely the development of tourism destinations, the tourism industry, tourism marketing, and tourism institutions.

He considers tourism as the mainstay sector in Bogor Regency in terms of driving the wheels of the economy. At least he has four reasons that make tourism in his region a mainstay sector.

First, tourism is the second largest foreign exchange earner for the country. The second reason absorbs labor and has great added value. Third, become sustainable development or environmental sustainability. Fourth, because Bogor has great tourism potential.

Ade Yasin noted that 30 tourist villages were officially formed and 555 hotels and inns were still surviving during the pandemic, although the visit rate was low due to restrictions on community activities through various policies.

"One of the strategies for developing a tourism management system is to increase the role and development of village tourism. Therefore, the Bogor Regency Government continues to encourage tourism development and encourage all villages to develop tourism potential in their respective areas, be it natural tourism, education tourism, or artificial tourism", said Ade Yasin.

According to him, the Bogor Regency Government is actively encouraging villages to build, because the village is a lever for the rise of Bogor Regency. Most of the wealth and tourism potential of Bogor Regency is located in 416 villages spread over 40 sub-districts.