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THE RIAU Islands Province Tourism Office noted that no foreign tourist has entered the area since the start of the travel bubble trial for Singaporean tourists to Batam and Bintan on January 24, 2022.
According to the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, the Tourism Ministry will continue to finalize the readiness of the Indonesia-Singapore travel bubble, while conducting evaluations.
“We will continue to discuss the technical implementation of the travel bubble in the field. For that, we need to finalize readiness, both in terms of accommodation and also the introduction of tour packages to travel agents in Singapore,” said Sandiaga Uno during the Weekly Press Briefing, Monday (1/31).
Sandiaga said this could not be separated from the readiness of transportation such as ferries, as well as regulations regarding vaccinated travel land. In addition, together with the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, the Tourism Ministry will conduct an evaluation every two weeks.
Sandiaga also said that the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy Affairs scheduled an evaluation to be carried out every two weeks after the opening of Riau Islands tourism. This is done to monitor in terms of handling the pandemic, improving health protocols, as well as supply and demand readiness.
“Through this travel bubble, we will monitor the situation and continue to improve the readiness of vaccinated travel land which will be a prerequisite for tourists, especially those who will visit Riau Islands,” he noted.
Previously, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said that the entry of foreign tourists from Singapore to the Batam and Bintan areas with the application of the travel bubble (Indonesia and Singapore) began on Monday (1/24).
He said the government took this option to encourage tourism activities in the two areas. The government is encouraging the travel bubble between Batam Bintan and Singapore, to encourage tourism activities in Batam and Bintan,” Airlangga concluded. [kompas.com/photo special]
