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THE BRITISH Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste, Owen Jenkins, described the UK as a safe and healthy tourist destination. Jenkins mentioned this because he was promoting tourism in the UK again.
“We firmly believe the UK is a very safe and healthy destination. Our healthcare service is one of the strongest in the world, and has overcome the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic,” Jenkins said in Jakarta, Thursday (3/24).
“Thanks to qualified health facilities, the UK has again opened the door for tourism. The British Embassy in Jakarta then launched a travel guide book entitled ‘Come to the UK’. The Indonesian language booklet collects references to interesting travel ideas for Indonesian citizens who want to visit England, ” he said.
Exploring the book, residents can find important information for tourists, such as halal food choices to cultural information. Tips to travel the UK on a limited budget to souvenir shop recommendations are discussed in detail.
The inspiration for tourist destinations also includes four countries in the United Kingdom, namely England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“We are launching for the first time, a guidebook with all the information you need to go to the UK and have a successful and enjoyable visit,” Jenkins stated.
Britain has lifted all international travel restrictions since Friday (3/18). Thus, visitors who have not been vaccinated do not need to take a pre-departure test and a follow-up test on the second day after arrival. In addition, visitors do not need to fill out the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) document. The form is used by health authorities to trace contacts if travelers are exposed to infectious diseases.
“The UK has removed all border restrictions and measures related to COVID-19. So, no quarantine. No tests required. And no forms to fill out whether people have been vaccinated or not,” Jenkins stressed.
So, he continued that England is open and we look forward to welcoming Indonesian tourists back to enjoy all the wonderful things about Britain, whether it’s sports, music, culture, shopping, food, or any other beautiful thing we have. Come to England.
The removal of the restrictions is in line with Britain’s plans to coexist with the coronavirus. This approach was deemed appropriate because of the high vaccination rate in the UK. The second dose of vaccination in the UK has reached 86 per cent of the total population. Meanwhile, 67% of the population had received the third dose.
“The UK population has very high vaccination rates, including booster doses. So the risk is low and we think we are now at a point where, with sensible precautions and sensible measures, we can live with this disease,” Jenkins remarked.
Therefore, the visa application process will take a long time. Jenkis added, visa applicants need to apply in time away from the day of travel.
Jenkins assured that Indonesian citizen have a very big chance to get a visa. Failure to apply for a visa also generally stems from a small mistake when registering.
To get around this, Jenkins encourages tourism service providers to assist residents in navigating the system. Indonesian citizens who fill out the form carefully will certainly get a British visa easily.
“The good news is that in 2021, 91% of Indonesians who apply for a visa will get it. It’s a bit lower for a visit visa, which is around 83.5%, but the figure is still very high,” Jenkins said.
The number of travelers from Indonesia to the UK touched 9,670 in 2021. That number did not even reach a fifth of the total 55,000 visitors before the pandemic hit. Jenkins hopes that number will creep up soon.
Jenkins welcomes Indonesians to return to visit the UK. For Jenkins, Indonesian citizens can find love and friends when they travel to the country. In fact, they might even find a second home there. [sources/photo special]
