Tourism Sector Still Down, Coordinating Minister Airlangga Initiates Cross-Sectoral Cooperation

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto said all efforts to continue the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic were still being carried out, including in the tourism sector.

According to him, increasing collaboration between cross-sectoral stakeholders is very important so that the tourism sector can quickly rise and recover.

"I invite all of us to strengthen cross-sectoral cooperation to accelerate the recovery of the national economy, especially in the tourism and creative economy sectors," he said as quoted by the official website on Wednesday, February 9.

It was stated that efforts to restore the tourism sector were still facing various challenges, including increasing the consistency of the application of health, safety, and environmental sustainability standards.

For this reason, the government called Airlangga has prepared a number of policies and programs including the provision of incentives.

Just so you know, the budget to support the recovery of the tourism sector and the creative economy has been prepared at Rp4.55 trillion. Furthermore, priority support that supports the tourism sector such as support for the G-20, Mandalika International Circuit, and others have also been allocated in the amount of IDR 3.39 trillion.

Furthermore, the government has also pursued the development of a travel bubble both bilaterally and regionally, as last January in Batam-Bintan-Singapore which has been piloted.

"It is hoped that through this policy the economic recovery, especially the tourism sector in Batam and Bintan, can be accelerated," he said.

Airlangga added, the next effort was strengthening health protocols in all tourist destinations. He said enforcement of health protocols was the key to success in preventing the spread of the pandemic.

As a follow-up, managers are required to form a Regional COVID-19 Task Force, and every destination and tourism industry is also required to meet cleanliness, health, safety, and environmental sustainability (CHSE) standards.

"Through effective collaboration, I believe that together we can get through it well and be able to rebuild our economy," concluded Coordinating Minister Airlangga.