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THE COVID-19 pandemic that occurred in the past one year, has an impact on all sectors and social society of Indonesia and even the world, as well as the life and economy of the people in Jambi Province.
The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) noted that the Indonesian economy experienced a cumulative slowdown and contracted by 2.07% (yoy) in 2020. And Jambi’s economy in 2020 contracted by 0.46%. For this reason, the government has made various efforts to restore the economy, one of which is through the tourism sector.
Not wanting to be left behind, Jambi Province moved too. On March 16, 2020, the Jambi Provincial Government launched “Explore Jambi” with the theme ‘Expo the Hidden Paradise in Jambi’. Through this program, Jambi Province seeks to improve the economy and continue to transform and restructure the tourism sector so that it is adaptive to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Acting Governor of Jambi Dr Hari Nur Cahya Murni said the economy in Jambi would grow and develop faster through the tourism sector, considering Jambi is rich in tourism potential.
When tourism is sluggish, eating will have an impact on other sectors of the economy. Can make hotel businesses stop operating, transportation and restaurants are quiet, culinary and souvenir shops are threatened with bankruptcy so that craftsmen and MSMEs are affected.
He also invited the community together with the government to work together to restore the economy in the regions. Economic recovery is not only the task of the Central Government and Regional Governments, but society, the private sector, banking, e-commerce can play a role in restoring the economy and can be involved so that tourism can revive.
Standard Travel Health Protocol
The launch of ‘J Exploring Jambi’ proves that tourist destinations in Jambi Province are ready to receive tourist visits by implementing the COVID-19 health protocol.
This is proven by the encouragement of the local government that issued a mayor regulation and a regent regulation which states that tourist attractions can operate on the condition that they provide health protocol facilities and infrastructure.
Not only providing advice and infrastructure, but tourist attractions can operate if they have been verified by the Regency and City COVID-19 Task Force in their respective regions.
Mount Kerinci tourism management, for example, requires tourists or mountain climbers to attach the results of a rapid test with non-reactive information. In addition, the time given to mountain climbers is limited. The goal is that climbers do not accumulate at certain points during the climb to Mount Kerinci.
Head of North Kerinci KSNP Resort Evarizal said tourist visits to Mount Kerinci must comply with the COVID-19 health protocol. So that information boards and announcements related to the implementation of the COVID-19 health protocol must be prepared on the climbing route.
Likewise, other tourist destinations have improved and are ready to receive tourist visits by implementing health protocols, such as the Muaro Jambi Temple Complex, Merangin Geopark Tourism and other tourist attractions.
The launch of “J Exploring Jambi” received a positive response from the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. The readiness of Jambi Province to welcome tourists with good health protocol standards is expected to become an example for other provinces in Indonesia.
Indonesia has very interesting local wisdom, culture and history. It remains the task of the local government how to package local wisdom, culture and history to attract tourists to visit.
Jambi Tourism Destinations
Jambi has a variety of interesting tours to visit. Even some tourism in Jambi is a tourist destination that is quite famous abroad. Tour of Mount Kerinci which is the highest volcano in Indonesia and in Southeast Asia. Mount Kerinci has an altitude of 3,805 masl. In the middle of the mountain, there is Lake Kaco Tour, with very clear water which visitors like partly like glass.
At the foot of Mount Kerinci too, there is the second largest expanse of tea in the world. The oldest tea plantation in Jambi managed by PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) VI. Another tourist attraction, the Muara Jambi Temple Complex, which is included in the national strategic area, is a legacy of the oldest historical site in Indonesia which was built using red bricks.
Then tour the Merangin Geopark, an earth park with the beauty of tropical rainforests equipped with beautiful wood fossils that are almost 350 million years old. The Merangin Geopark is flowed by clear water, and waterfalls that flow into rivers and old trees that thrive.
Jambi also has four conservation areas, including Kerinci Seblat National Park, Bukit 30 Park, Bukit 12 and Berbak National Park. Where the Berbak National Park is a national park which has the largest swamp forest in Southeast Asia.
The scenery in the conservation area is very charming. These national parks are fed by beautiful rivers. Even in the Berbak National Park there are black rivers and mangrove fences, at a glance it reminds us of the very famous Amazone tropical rainforest.
Biodiversity in the four conservation areas is in the form of fauna such as Sumatran tigers, elephants, tapirs, bears and various other types of animals. And there are flora such as Raflesia Arnoldi and Tiger Orchids.
Apart from nature tourism, Jambi also has an interesting artificial tour, namely the Gentala Arasy tour, which is a 503 meter long pedestrian bridge or the longest in Southeast Asia. This bridge is above the Batanghari River which is the longest river on the island of Sumatra.
Tour Derivatives
Apart from tourist destinations, Jambi Province also has a strong appeal of local wisdom such as the diversity of handicraft and culinary products. Carving crafts from Pulau Betung Village, Batanghari Regency, whose products are well known at the national level and even abroad.
Utilizing abundant natural resources, such as rattan, craftsmen make woven woven into chairs, tables and other household products. As is the case with other areas in Indonesia, Jambi Province which has 11 districts also has batik cloth. Jambi batik has characteristics or motifs that are well known in the archipelago, such as angso duo motifs, siginjai keris and duku flower motifs.
In fact, at the virtual launch of “Exploring Jambi”, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the Minister of Communication and Information, Johnny G Plate, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Mahfud MD and the Governor of Bank Indonesia Perry Warjiyo were interested and bought special batik.
Jambi specialties are also a concern for tourists visiting Jambi. A line of typical Jambi snacks such as Cepak Capung, a traditional cake from Terusan Seberang Village, Batanghari Regency which is made from palm sugar.
Then the food of plunging curry and gulai gulai, the main ingredients of hare meat. However, currently the typical curry is replaced with aging duck meat because it is already very difficult to find Kancil.
Other Jambi specialties that tourists must taste when visiting Jambi are Senggung Fish, Burgo, Semah Fish Curry, Bamboo Shells and Belido Fin. And other typical Jambi cakes, namely Pedamaran, Kubang Boyo, Musa and many other traditional cakes.
No less, coffee from Jambi Province is also widely known, namely Liberika coffee which has a unique taste and very tempting aroma which was first developed in Indonesia in Tanjung Jabung Barat Regency, Jambi Province.
National Festival
In 2021, Jambi Province will hold 10 festival agendas which have been proposed by the Jambi Provincial Government to become a national tourism agenda in the Kharisma Event Nusantara, which aims to encourage the economy of the Jambi people.
Acting Head of the Jambi Province Tourism Culture Office Sri Purnama Syam said the 10 festival agendas proposed for the national tourism agenda included the Kerinci Festival, Lake Kerinci Festival, Mandi Safar, Angso Duo Festival, Tapa Malenggang Festival, Geo Park Festival and Rafting.
The festival that is proposed to be the national tourism agenda is the local wisdom of the Jambi people. Such as Mandi Safar which is carried out by the people of East Tanjung Jabung Regency, to be precise in Air Hitam Laut Village, Sadu District, East Tanjung Jabung Regency.
Mandi Safar (Safar Bathing) is a ritual performed by local villagers to commemorate and commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Husen bin Ali bin Abi Talib who led his soldiers from Makkah to Kuffah City. For the local village community, Safar Bathing is a ritual to ask the Powerful to avoid danger and disease and to purify themselves from sins. Sapar bathing is carried out by throwing oneself into the sea in congregation and is open to the general public.
The Safar Bathing tradition has been practiced by the people in the area since 1965, at that time Mandi Safar was only practiced by the people of Air Hitam Luat Village. Currently the Mandi Safar ritual is followed by thousands of people, even people from outside the area.
Through the Kharisma Event Nusantara agenda, the festival can be a way to explore traces of tourism that must be maintained, in addition to preserving tradition, it can also be used as a tourism value that can encourage the community’s economy.
The economic sector is also active, such as Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), handicraft craftsmen, carvings and souvenir businesses in Jambi. If managed properly, all the characteristics and uniqueness of natural tourism, culinary tourism and ancestral traditions are very capable of attracting tourists, both local and foreign tourists. [antaranews]
