DPR Encourages Local Governments To Be Firm In Discipline Of Foreign Tourists

Member of Commission X DPR DRI Vanda Sarundajang. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission X DPR DRI Vanda Sarundajang encouraged local governments to take a firm stance in enforcing regulatory discipline to foreign tourists traveling in their area, in order to prevent the viral incident of foreign tourists who made an act in Bali.

"Local governments must be firm. Especially in enforcing discipline and rules, such as the use of helmets while driving," Vanda said in a written statement, quoted from Antara, Saturday, March 25.

According to Vanda, what the security forces have done in Bali is very appropriate. The same is true in all tourism areas in Indonesia, including in North Sulawesi which has many tourist objects that are no less interesting.

What law enforcement has done in Bali and the police and pecalang things is right. They enforce discipline, actually to protect the safety and comfort of the tourists themselves," said the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) police.

Regarding the viral incident in Bali, Vanda tried to anticipate the problem, by providing several preventive measures so that the same thing did not happen and befell tourism problems in Manado, North Sulawesi.

According to him, the tourism sector cannot be separated from three things. Each is, tourists or tourists, the infrastructure of the tourism object itself and MSME players who sell various kinds of local commodities, to improve the economy of the local community.

"Tourism in North Sulawesi is enough to feel the impact during the pandemic, especially the MSME players, so they have to 'pinter-pinter' sell their wares, one of which is by using online media," said Vanda during a visit to his constituency in Manado, North Sulawesi.

However, according to him, after two years of the pandemic having passed, the community's economy began to feel.

For this reason, he asked for the support of the central and regional governments to provide convenience to the community, both tourists and MSME players, especially in welcoming Ramadan and Eid this year, considering the large number of MSME actors selling Ramadan knick-knacks such as takjil and public foods typical of the North Sulawesi region.

"The large number of MSMEs in several places that are predominantly Muslim, such as in Manado, in Javanese Tondano village where MSMEs switch to selling takjil to prepare for breaking the fast at home," he explained.

Meanwhile, regarding the problem of expensive plane tickets, Vanda hopes that the government, in this case, airlines and related departments, will be able to provide various kinds of conveniences in the form of reducing aircraft ticket rates, thus attracting public interest in visiting tourism objects in North Sulawesi.