Sociologist: Prohibited Homecoming, Tourism Should Be Closed So As Not Impressed Doubt

Udayana University sociologist, Bali Wahyu Budi Nugroho. (Ayu Khania Pranisitha / Antara)

JAKARTA - Sociologist from Udayana University, Bali Wahyu Budi Nugroho said that tourist attractions should also be closed together with the ban on going home from 6 to 17 May 2021, so that the policy does not seem half-hearted.

"It is better if tourist attractions are also closed at the same time as the grace period for the prohibition of going home so that policies to prevent the increase in COVID-19 cases do not appear half-hearted," said Udayana University sociologist Wahyu Budi Nugroho as quoted by Antara, Sunday, April 18.

He said that if the implementation of the policy of prohibiting homecoming occurs, and tourism is closed, the government can provide assistance to industry players such as providing incentives for the transportation service sector.

"It could be that those who reject this policy the most are tourism business actors (if tourism is closed) and there was a discourse on the government to provide incentives for the transportation service sector. The government can also provide assistance to tourism industry players so that their resistance is not too harsh," he said.

In addition to the policy of prohibiting homecoming, transportation modes are also asked not to operate for 6 to 17 May 2021, to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Wahyu said this situation will also have a significant impact on transportation services.

"But yesterday there was a good discourse from the government to provide incentives for this service sector to reduce losses or reduce income due to the ban on going home," he said.

He said the ban on going home is expected to be difficult to realize because of strong cultural and traditional factors. He said, it has become a habit and even culture in our society to gather with extended families on religious holidays.

"However, during this pandemic, people must continue to be rationalized and reminded that returning to their hometowns, let alone using public transportation, is very risky," he said.

According to him, it is not natural that during this pandemic, there were still people who were desperate to go home, because the COVID-19 cases in the country were still fluctuating, and had never even decreased significantly.

"If we see cases in other countries that have experienced an increase again, for example Germany, has just returned to a lockdown policy," he said.