JAKARTA - Tourism is the sector worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because the government has issued a policy of restrictions on flights for foreign tourists to enter Indonesia. CT Corp Founder and Chairman Chairul Tanjung advised the government to focus only on domestic tourists to revive this sector.
"I suggest Mr. Luhut in the second semester of 2021, the vaccine will reach 70 million in June, July, or August, we hope we start (opening tourism) with domestic tourists first", he said at the CNBC Outlook 2021 event, Thursday, February 25.
According to the 9th richest person in Indonesia, the government can provide vouchers or coupons for people like in neighboring countries. The goal is to revive the tourism sector and economy from the pressure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a result of the pandemic, said the man who is familiarly called CT, many hotels and restaurants are permanently closed. Even if some still survive, the occupancy is below 10 percent.
"In our neighboring country, they were given vouchers, sir, so those people were called to do that, instead of distributing the money for something. Consumers who choose the tourism sector can come to parks, stay at hotels, all kinds of things", he said.
One of the countries that provide vouchers to revive the country's economy in Australia. The government of the state of Victoria with the capital city of Melbourne has offered as many as 120,000 vouchers to help the economy in the regional area or outside the city center of Melbourne.
Vouchers can be exchanged at establishments or businesses in the retail, hotel, and tourism sector that have a physical store, have been in operation for at least 6 months, and have an income of less than 10 million Australian dollars.
Responding to this, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan welcomed the suggestion. He said the advice from CT had been discussed by Menparekraf (The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy), Sandiaga Uno.
"Pak Sandiaga Uno, I think the job is quite good, yes. He came to me yesterday, yes, he came to have ideas like Mr. CT and I think he is working on it", said Luhut.
Regarding domestic tourists, according to Luhut, it is the government's focus. Moreover, he said, the potential for domestic tourists is very large. Domestic tourist visits to Lake Toba have even increased by 22 percent.
"I think what Mr. CT said is that we aim at domestic tourists because domestic tourists are big, very big with the middle group, I think that is now our target. Now we make Proud to be Made in Indonesia, just tourism in Indonesia, I think those are activities that we have been working on", he said.
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