Observer: Rp2.4 Trillion Grants Can 'Make Life' For Tourism Entrepreneurs

JAKARTA - Tourism observers from Jenderal Soedirman University (Unsoed) Chusmeru appreciate the discourse of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy which will disburse a grant of Rp2.4 trillion for the tourism sector in the country.

"The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy's plan to provide incentives, grants, and social assistance of Rp2.4 trillion for the tourism sector in the country needs to be welcomed positively," he said in Purwokerto, Banyumas, quoted from Antara, Monday, July 19.

He said the assistance was certainly eagerly awaited and expected by tourism business actors who were slumped by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Psychologically, the assistance can be seen as a form of empathy from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy and is expected to maintain the spirit of tourism business actors. While economically, the assistance can be used to sustain life for a while," he said.

However, he said, before the assistance was rolled out, it was necessary to identify and verify which tourism business actors in the tourism sector were most worthy of assistance.

"Of course based on the business sector and tourism services that are most affected by the pandemic," he said.

He gave an example, the business sector and tourism services most affected by the pandemic, among others, the first is the accommodation sector.

"In addition to managers, tourism workers in the accommodation sector, such as hotels and inns, really need help given the very low hotel occupancy rate," he said.

Second, he said, is the transportation sector, which includes tourism transportation workers who are also affected.

"Next, the third is the service sector and tourism services, namely 'tour leaders', 'tour operators' and tour guides," he said.

Fourth, he said, is the culinary sector that is in contact with tourism, both restaurant workers, cafes, and food stalls around tourist attractions. Fifth, the small industry sector, MSMEs, and creative industries that support tourism.

"This sector includes crafters, souvenir traders, and art workers who have been struggling in the tourism business," he said.

While the sixth, he added, are workers in the object and tourist attraction sector.

"However, it should be noted that all forms of assistance are of course temporary. Tourism business actors still hope for tourist visits. Therefore, the government's efforts to significantly reduce positive cases of COVID-19 are highly anticipated," he said.

Thus, he said, local and foreign tourists will begin to be able to travel in the country and the tourism industry will soon recover.

Meanwhile, as previously reported, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy would disburse a total of Rp2.4 trillion in grant funds for the tourism sector in the country.

"The temporary target is the result of discussions with the Ministry of Finance, we will utilize the allocated funds of Rp2.4 trillion and hopefully this can be executed," he said.