Good News, Government Will Issue Discount Tour Packages For Health Workers

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JAKARTA - The government is preparing several alternative incentives for the tourism sector in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic this year. The incentive is given for the supply and demand side. From the demand side, the government is preparing a tourism package for health workers (health workers) who have been vaccinated and participants of the Mutual Cooperation Vaccine program.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto said the tourism package in question was in the form of special prices for hotels, restaurants to discount airplane tickets to tourism destinations set by the government. Later, this tour package will be given in the form of a voucher.

"From the demand side, what is being prepared are tour package vouchers. We (the government) are preparing tour packages for health workers, and also combined with mutual cooperation vaccines," he said at the PHRI National Working Meeting, Thursday, March 18.

Furthermore, Airlangga said that companies participating in the mutual cooperation vaccine have the right to get discounts or tour package vouchers for their employees.

"So everyone who has been vaccinated twice has the opportunity to buy a tour package voucher," he said.

From the supply side, said Airlangga, the government is also preparing several alternative incentives to support the tourism industry. First, prepare a working capital credit program at low interest rates for the tourism sector.

Airlangga said that this program was carried out to support the minimum cost of maintaining the hotel so that it is feasible and ready to operate. Currently, this program is being discussed with the Financial Services Authority (OJK) and Bank Indonesia (BI).

"So this working capital credit is intended for businesses with disrupted cash flow, but has good prospects. This working capital can be used, for example, to maintain hotels and maintain workforce," he said.

Second, said Airlangga, the government will include financing guarantees to banks. Simply put, the Ministry of Finance will put funds in banks.

"And banking continues this to the hotel sector. This is what we are finalizing," he explained.

Finally, another alternative is to relax the provisions for credit applications and debt restructuring to the working capital credit guarantee facility (IJP).

"Including special working capital loans, this is with a grace period that we have discussed two years with the OJK. Well, prioritized for tourism areas such as Bali and Bintan which are already operating," he said.

Airlangga said support in the form of alternative incentives from both the supply and demand sides was being matured by the government. So, input from PHRI is needed so that this program can be operationalized immediately.