JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic that has occurred for months has severely hit the country's hotel industry. All restrictions on activities carried out to suppress the spread of the virus also caused hotels and restaurants to collapse one by one. During this difficult time, entrepreneurs asked local governments to help ease the burden on business actors.
Chairman of the Governing Body for the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), Sutrisno Iwantono, various restrictions ranging from Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB), to Enactment of Restrictions on Community Activities (PPKM) will make the hotel and restaurant industry conditions very badly.
To be able to withstand the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, PHRI requested an assistance scheme for hotel and restaurant businesses that have suffered losses due to this tightening policy. Among these are Restaurant Tax (PB1) so that it is not deposited with the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government but is used to help business actors.
"Then, the UN exemption for independent hotels and restaurants, the hotel and restaurant billboard tax exemption. Then, the reduction in the payment of electricity and water costs", he said, in a virtual press conference, Friday, February 5.
Not only that, Sutrisno said, business actors also asked for additional operating hours to capacity for hotels and restaurants that have implemented strict health protocols.
Then, PHRI also suggested that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government and various related parties educate the public continuously and discipline the community. Especially in the main cluster of transmission, at the neighborhood and sub-district level.
"Because transmission at the community level is still very high", he explained.
Finally, said Sutrisno, PHRI proposed to increase the number of public facilities for washing hands, providing masks, and, if possible, providing face shields for the community, especially in the main cluster of transmitters. Meanwhile, specifically for shopping centers, GeNose can be provided.
Previously, the COVID-19 pandemic which had lasted 12 months made the hotel industry unable to survive. Today, the industry is on the verge of bankruptcy. In fact, some have gone out of business. Some decided to sell their hotel.
Dozens of hotels and restaurants in Yogyakarta have officially closed because they are unable to withstand the onslaught of operating costs every month. In total, 50 hotels and restaurants have closed during the implementation of PPKM volumes I and II.
Meanwhile in Jakarta, the phenomenon of selling hotels through the marketplace has emerged. Sales of hotels in Jakarta during the COVID-19 pandemic were carried out as a solution to avoiding deeper losses. The reason is, hotel operating costs and credit payments are still running, while there is no opinion.
"When asked why they are selling, is it because of pressure? So this is how hotels and restaurants are already in the 12th month, yes they can't get up at all. Never mind talking about getting up to survive it's hard", said the Secretary-General of the Hotel and Restaurant Association Indonesia, Maulana Yusran, when contacted by VOI, Thursday, February 4.
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