Hope To Return Capital In Eid 2023 After The COVID-19 Pandemic, Can It?

The density of vehicles leaving Jabodetabek at the Cikampek Utama toll gate in the 2023 Eid homecoming flow, Tuesday night 18 April. (Doc. Jasa Marga)

According to Jasa Marga's report, the movement of vehicles leaving Jabodetabek has increased since April 15. It can be seen from the flow of vehicles crossing four toll gates, Cikupa towards Merak, Ciawi towards Puncak, Cikampek Utama towards Trans Java, and the Kalihurip Utama toll gate towards Bandung.

The increase will certainly continue until its peak on April 20-21, 2023. The Transportation Policy Agency of the Ministry of Transportation predicts that as many as 33.8 million people or around 54.31 percent of Jabodetabek people will take advantage of the 2023 Eid holiday.

Overall, the potential for national movement during the 2023 Eid holiday has increased by 14.6 percent compared to last year. A total of 123.8 million people or 45.8 percent of the total population of Indonesia will travel, either for homecoming or traveling.

Executive Director of the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS) Bhima Yudhistira considers it a good thing. Increased community mobility will certainly boost the economy. The business sector in the fields of transportation, retail,food and beverage services, provision of rest areas, and hospitality will grow rapidly at this moment.

Likewise for household consumption. Bhima predicts it can grow to 5.5 percent in the second quarter of 20223.

The portion of household consumption is relatively high in the range of 55-57 percent of GDP. If divided, during Eid, both 20 percent of the upper group to 40 percent experienced a surge in spending preferences. So during Eid, household consumption donations will boost the economy throughout the year," Bhima told VOI on April 18, 2023.

He also predicts that the circulation of money in the regions can reach IDR 50-67 trillion at the moment of Eid al-Fitr 2023. It can be seen from the positive growth of bank credit and the improving finances of the company to pay THR for their employees in installments.

This THR money will be spent by travelers in the city of their homecoming origin. The smoother the flow of homecoming, the longer the Lebaran holiday, the more money that will be disbursed to the regions will also increase. Many SMEs in the regions are also impatient to wait for the effects of Eid, they recruit more workers and of course hope that turnover can be the same as Eid during pre-pandemic, "explained Bhima.

Areas with high money circulation during Eid may occur in Java, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, to Southeast Sulawesi. Likewise Yogyakarta and Bali.

"Everyone hopes that this year's Lebaran moment will be a turning point for the pressure of the pandemic in the last 3 years," said Bhima.

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Uno also estimates that the economic turnover at the time of the Eid al-Fitr holiday in 2023 could reach IDR 240.1 trillion. When the movement of people during the Eid holiday last year alone reached 85.5 million people, the economic turnover could reach an estimated figure of IDR 150 trillion.

"This means that now with 123.8 million people, the projection has also increased to IDR 240.1 trillion," Sandiaga said in a Weekly Brief with Sandi Uno on April 17.

Moreover, currently the number of holidays has been extended for 7 days, there is also a relaxation of travel restrictions policies. From the preliminary results of a survey conducted by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, 92 percent of respondents stated that they would travel during the Eid holiday period 2023.

As for tourist attraction preferences, respondents who chose beaches / lakes / sea by 64.5 percent, culinary centers 54 percent, mountains / agrotourism 51.3 percent, recreational parks 36.5 percent, and tourist villages 29.6 percent.

"This is an opportunity for all colleagues in an effort to strengthen economic revival and open employment opportunities," said Sandiaga.

Of course it should be grateful. However, said Sandiaga, 'We must also anticipate that tourism destination managers and creative economy centers continue to apply all CHSE protocols, security protocols, safety, health and environmental sustainability.'

Not only on land routes, the enthusiasm of the community movement during the Eid Al-Fitr 2023 holiday has also been seen on the flight route. President Director of PT Angkasa Pura I (Persero) Faik Fami claimed to have received 1,287 additional flight requests for the Eid homecoming period. This was also followed by an increase in seating capacity of 231,660 seats.

The additional demand is mostly from Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali, Juanda Airport in Surabaya in Sidoarjo, and Sultan Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar. It is estimated that the demand will also continue to increase until D-2 Lebaran.

"The demand for passengers is increasing, but the number of aircraft is limited," he said as reported by Majalah Tempo.

Angkasa Pura I, which manages 15 airports, will serve 3.9 million passengers this year, both 34 percent compared to the previous year's Eid holiday period.

A similar condition was also experienced by PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero) which has pocketed 1,016 additional flight requests. The surge in demand occurred at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Husein Sastranegara Airport Bandung, Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport Pekanbaru, and Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport Palembang.

"We estimate that this condition is almost close to the period before the COVID-19 pandemic," said Angkasa Pura II President Director Muhammad Awaluddin in his presentation to members of the DPR on April 10.

Director of the Segara Institute, Pieter Abdullah Redjalam believes that the Eid holiday will have a positive impact on Indonesia's economic growth which is projected at 4.75-5.25 percent.

Dalam periode Lebaran, konsumsi tentu meningkat signifikan. Ini yang juga menjadi penopang pertumbuhan ekonomi Indonesia secara keseluruhan, imbuhnya.