Erick Thohir: There Is No Monopolistic Intent In The Merger Of BUMN Tourism And Aviation

SOE Minister Erick Thohir (Source: Ministry of BUMN Documentation)

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all sectors. Tourism is no exception. To overcome this, the government plans to combine state-owned airlines with tourism. State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Minister Erick Thohir rejects this step as monopoly.

According to Erick Thohir, this step is an effort to prepare SOEs to enter an era of new habit adaptation. Said Erick, like it or not, a pandemic forces change.

Erick said, in transformation, there are three most important things that must be done. One of them is improving the BUMN business model and combining it with supporting sectors.

"We are trying to do the value chain. Supply chain. For example, yesterday, for example. In the cluster approved by the President, we combine the tourist industry and its supporters, where Angkasa Pura I and II, Garuda, Citilink, Hotel Indonesia and the area tours, such as Labuan Bajo, Mandalika, Borobudur, Hotel Indonesia, even Sarinah, "he said, in a virtual discussion, Sunday, August 16.

According to Erick, combining state-owned airlines with airlines and tourist attractions into one umbrella is a way for the government to increase its ability to compete with neighboring countries. "It's not that we want to monopolize. But how to facilitate the service."

"Moreover, it will be supported by technology. Therefore, with the system we tried to combine, there will be a better competitive value for our nation to compete with Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and others."

Furthermore, Erick said, the government is also building infrastructure to attract tourists to Indonesia. One of them is building Benoa Bay. Erick said, the government wants to develop maritime tourism.

According to Erick, with the construction of Benoa Bay, it is hoped that foreign and domestic tourists can visit the tourist areas of Labuan Bajo to Raja Ampat. This is also to encourage tourism development.

"Like yesterday, Labuan Benoa. Because why? Bali is already famous for its land tourists. But, what about the maritime? Who knows it can connect from Bali, via Benoa, to Labuan Bajo, Raja Ampat, even to Manado. We are trying to take advantage of that. . "

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), in his speech to deliver the 2021 State Budget Bill and Financial Notes at the DPR-RI Plenary Meeting for the 2020-2021 Session Year said that the government has budgeted IDR 14.4 trillion for tourism development in 2021. This was done to encourage economic recovery in the sector tourism.

Jokowi conveyed a tourism development policy which includes the development of priority destinations to increased promotion and private involvement. Previously, BUMN Minister Erick Thohir said that the construction of the Benoa Bay Port in Bali was a way to encourage tourism as well as the maritime economy.

The BUMN assigned to build the port is Pelindo III. Pelindo III received an allocation of PMN funds amounting to Rp1.2 trillion.

Erick said that another BUMN that was also tasked with developing tourism was PT Indonesia Tourism Development (Persero). PMN fund allocation for ITDC is Rp. 500 billion.