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THERE are concerns that the 2021 Eid homecoming prohibition policy will have an impact on several sectors, especially the tourism industry and the creative economy. However, the government has confirmed that it has a series of programs that are believed to be able to maintain the pulse of business and stimulate the tourism industry sector in the country.
According to the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Muhadjir Effendy said that the policy of eliminating homecoming was accompanied by efforts to keep the national economic sector moving, including the development of tourism and creative industries in the regions.
“Earlier there had been definite discussions to support the government’s policy regarding the elimination of homecoming. But still, the pulse of business must continue to beat and must not stop,” he said.
The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs also admitted that he strongly supported the initiative of Tourism Minister, Sandiaga Uno to mobilize and revive staycations or the term vacation around the house by maintaining health protocols. Apart from being able to treat the people’s desire to take a vacation to a tourist location, of course it will be able to drive the tourism economy in the local area.
“So, tours that are still both in the area are allowed, not prohibited. It must be ensured that our main goal is to reduce the spread and transmission of COVID-19, not to make economic activity, especially the tourism sector, also have a drastic impact,” he said.
Muhadjir explained, this is an important step to ensure that middle class people who are also actors in the tourism sector do not fall into poverty just because of the policy of eliminating Eid homecoming in May.
On the other hand, he emphasized the importance of developing tourism related to culture. The cultural tourism program is considered to be one of the mainstay sectors for the national tourism program because Indonesia has a wealth of invaluable cultural tourism potential in the world.
“There is a program of the Minister of Tourism that deals with my responsibilities in the cultural sector. Of course we must also support and continue to develop this,” Muhadjir noted.
Meanwhile, in order to support the development of the national film industry, Muhadjir and Sandiaga agreed to encourage the birth of ethnographic-based films that highlight the cultures of various ethnic groups in Indonesia. [sources/photo special]
