Tourism Opened, Impact Of Homecoming Ban Believed Not As Severe As Last Year

ILLUSTRATION/MAIN CIKAMPEK TOLL ROAD/ANTARA

JAKARTA - Member of Commission XI of the House of Representatives (DPR) Heri Gunawan assessed that the ban on homecoming in 2021 on May 6-17 will have an impact on national economic growth.

Because, so far, the tradition of homecoming has become one of the drivers of economic growth through increasing public consumption.

However, Heri predicts the impact of the 2021 homecoming ban will not be worse than last year. Because the government still allows the opening of several tourist attractions and shopping centers. So that people can still spend their money during the Eid holidays.

Also, the government this year estimates that there will be an increase in public consumption of IDR 215 trillion derived from THR (holiday allowance) and the 13th Salary of ASN (State Civil Apparatus) of IDR 43 trillion, THR of formal workers of IDR 100 trillion, and THR of informal workers of IDR 72 trillion.

"The impact of the 2021 homecoming ban will not be as big as in 2020. The economy will continue even if it is not as big as if homecoming is allowed", Heri said on Thursday, April 15.

When compared to last year, according to BPS (Central Bureau of Statistics), the ban on homecoming in 2020 caused the transportation sector to contract by 30.84 percent.

"The ban on homecoming in 2020 that occurred in the second quarter of 2020 slightly contributed to the decline in economic growth", explained the Vice-Chairman of the Gerindra Faction of the House of Representatives.

BPS data also recorded economic growth in the second quarter of 2020 minus 5.32 percent. Household consumption was minus 5.51 percent.

In fact, in 2020 the government has disbursed THR amounting to IDR 29.382 trillion. However, the large amount of money was not able to raise public consumption because, in addition to banning homecoming, the government also recommends staying at home.

"So THR recipients do not have the freedom to spend their money and prefer to keep their money in the bank", said the legislator for the Sukabumi electoral district.