Luhut And Anies Have Limited Operating Hours During Christmas And New Year, The Number Of Visitors To The Mall Has Decreased By 70 Percent!

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Christmas and New Year 2020 celebrations are just counting the days. However, the Association for the Association of Indonesian Shopping Centers (APPBI) felt a different condition from previous years. This is because the level of community visits to shopping centers or malls is still very low.

Compared to last year, there was a decrease of up to 70 percent. One of the causes is the high case of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the government has also reduced the operating hours of shopping centers or malls. In fact, this moment is eagerly awaited by entrepreneurs to reap multiple profits.

As is well known, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan asked the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan to limit the opening hours or restaurant operations to 19:00 for malls, restaurants and entertainment venues in Jakarta-Bogor-Depok-Tangerang-Bekasi (Jabodetabek) .

The request is aimed at anticipating an increase in COVID-19 cases after the Christmas 2020 and New Year 2021 holidays. The restrictions begin on 18 December 2020 to 8 January 2021.

Chairman of the Indonesian Shopping Center Management Association (APPBI) Alphonzus Widjaja said the level of visits to shopping centers ahead of Christmas this year tends not to have a significant increase.

"If last year was 100 percent, this year it decreased by 60 to 70 percent. So that only 30 to 40 percent of the level of community visits is left," he said, when contacted by VOI, in Jakarta, Monday, December 21.

Alphonzus also said that not many people shop for Christmas needs because the COVID-19 outbreak is still not over and purchasing power is still in a state of decline. According to Alphonzus, the level of visits this year will be driven more by reasons to fill the holidays, not to shop for Christmas and New Year's needs.

Contacted separately, the Chairman of the Indonesian Shopping Center Tenants Association (Hippindo), Budihardjo Iduansjah, said there was an increase in the number of visitors and sales at the end of last week.

"In terms of sales, traffic to malls has increased from the usual 20 to 30 percent. Compared to last month there was an increase in visitors to malls," said Budi.

According to Budi, the increase in public visits at the end of last week was also driven by the Indonesia Discount Shopping Day (HBDI) which took place from 16 to 31 December.

"This is because there is a national discount shopping day event and a national discount festival so offline and online purchasing movements have increased this December," he said.

However, Budi said, the types of products that were bought were not related to the preparations for Christmas and New Year 2021. He said, there was a shift in patterns in shopping.

"What is purchased is in terms of fashion, there is a decrease. At Christmas people usually buy clothes. But now, unlike last year, electronic products have increased. Like laptops, gadgets have increased," he explained.