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THE waiting period to create herd immunity against COVID-19 after the vaccination process must be used by tourism managers to improve so that they are ready to welcome tourists when the time comes, while good health facilities and protocols at tourist attractions in the country are very important to increase tourist confidence.
Expert Staff for Crisis Management at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Henky Hotma Parlindungan Manurung, in an online chat on YouTube BNPB, said that so far many business actors in various places have added health protocol facilities such as hand washing stations.
He gave an example of the practice that has taken place at Prambanan Temple, one of the popular tourist destinations, which also adapts to technology so that tourists can reduce physical contact and reduce the risk of infection from spreading the corona virus.
Travelers, who must register, can purchase tickets online. He assessed that the health protocols at Prambanan and Borobudur temples had also been implemented when reviewed in December 2020. The surrounding community has also been accustomed to wearing masks and routinely wearing hand sanitizers to maintain cleanliness. In terms of tourism destination readiness, tourism managers have started implementing health protocols to prepare to welcome more tourists.
“With the vaccine, hopefully it can recover quickly,” said Henky, adding that the atmosphere is predicted to return to normal in 2022.
Last year, he continued, there were nearly 15,000 businesses that received Clean, Health, Safety and Environment (CHSE) certification which served as a guarantee to tourists and the public that the products and services provided had met protocols for cleanliness, health, safety and environmental sustainability. .
The issuance of certificates to tourism businesses, other related businesses / facilities, the community, and tourism destinations is carried out by involving a team of independent auditors on the application of health protocols
The government is targeting the number of CHSE certification recipients to double by 2021. Henky added that this process must be passed together through collaboration from various parties. We do it together and we believe that we are a nation that is able to get through this entire COIVD-19 pandemic
President Director of PT Taman Wisata Candi (TWC) Borobudur, Prambanan, and Ratu Boko, Edy Setijono, said that TWC is trying to pass 2021 to review services and standard facilities so that they are truly ready when the COVID-19 pandemic ends.
“In a sloping period like this, there are no visits, we use it to improve. By offering qualified health protocol facilities, it is hoped that the public’s confidence in traveling will grow so that the economy will move again. He gave an example of the health protocol that is implemented. checked his body temperature before entering the tourist area,” he said.
Those deemed safe and healthy will be given a green sticker, while tourists whose body temperature is above the requirement will be given a red sticker. There is a special path for visitors with red stickers. They will be directed to a special clinic for further examination.
Domestic tourists are the main hope, because the movement of foreign tourists will still be hampered by the pandemic in various countries that has not subsided.
Edy said that the pandemic has forced several events planned for last year to be postponed, or held virtually. He hopes that the presence of vaccines can improve tourism conditions in the second semester.
His party continues to prepare events throughout 2021, especially in the second semester. He is still working out the right format, between virtual or hybrid, combined virtual and on-site. If conditions are not possible in the future, he is ready to postpone the planned event again, or implement it online.
“I think we can only solve this pandemic if we are disciplined. We must be disciplined with health protocols for ourselves, our families, our environment. So this is not talking about other people, but talking for ourselves. Let’s all run the health protocol together. that’s fine, “he ordered.
The period of waiting for the atmosphere to return to normal must be passed by racking the brain to create creative solutions. Chairman of the Governing Body of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), Sutrisno Iwantono, said that hotels today can think “out of the box” in looking for income.
Not only relying on conventional guests, hotels can also make other strategies such as providing services for independent isolation, especially for upper middle class people who want to undergo isolation in a more calming atmosphere even though they have to spend more.
Meanwhile, Hotel Mega Anggrek and Hotel Ciputra apply tariffs for COVID-19 patients who will undergo such isolation, with the amount of the patient’s self-isolation fee regulated according to the provisions of each hotel. Graha Wisata TMII and Graha Wisata Ragunan are also used for isolation of patients without symptoms, which are funded by the DKI Provincial Government.
Other hotels can take advantage of the opportunity by targeting segments of the community who want to undergo independent isolation in a relatively more comfortable place. The PHRI also appreciates the assistance from the government for business players in the tourism sector, such as the disbursement of grants of IDR3.3 trillion from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy for restaurants, hotels and cafes whose businesses are also affected by the pandemic.
He hopes that this year the assistance will be held again, as well as relief from costs such as taxes. In addition, Sutrisno also asked the public to take part in increasing the productivity of hotels and restaurants in their respective areas as much as possible.
“For example, if people from DKI Jakarta, if there is a meeting, please help the government, not outside DKI. Likewise, West Java people, if there are events, don’t leave their respective regions. For what? So that the activity can make a living. it is hotels, restaurants, and other sectors,” concluded Sutrisno Iwantono. [antaranews/photo special]
