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THE MINISTRY of Tourism has announced its readiness to handle the influx of tourists expected during the 2024 Christmas and 2025 New Year holidays. The ministry projects that 110.67 million people will be traveling, representing a significant challenge for the tourism sector.
Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana attended the “Cross-Sectoral Coordination Meeting for Readiness of Operation Lilin 2024,” which was held to discuss preparations for the Christmas and New Year holiday period said as previously coordinated, we are monitoring the movement of tourists, particularly during the peak periods of December 21 to 24, December 28 to 31, 2024, and January 2 to 5, 2025.
“A survey conducted by the Ministry of Transportation indicates that the majority of national community movement during the Christmas 2024 and New Year 2025 holiday periods will continue to be concentrated on the island of Java. The three main destination provinces are Central Java, DI Yogyakarta, and West Java. Additionally, other areas are anticipated to receive a considerable influx of tourists, including Jabodetabek, East Java, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Bali, Lampung, and South Sulawesi,” she said.
Widiyanti outlined the Ministry of Tourism’s strategy for supporting the security, comfort, and safety of tourists, which will be in place until January 2025. The first step is to prepare and socialize the Minister of Tourism’s circular on implementing safe, comfortable, and enjoyable tourism activities during the 2024 Christmas and 2025 New Year celebrations.
This circular has been distributed to relevant parties to guarantee compliance with CHSE standards and to ensure the safety and security of tourists visiting tourist attractions during the 2024 Christmas and 2025 New Year period.
“The Ministry of Tourism has also issued a follow-up circular, requesting that each destination conduct a risk assessment to better prepare for the potential challenges during the peak tourist season,” Widiyanti affirmed.
The Ministry of Tourism also conducted a direct review of the readiness of destinations and accessibility in several areas of the country. These include Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Blimbingsari Airport in Banyuwangi, Christmas and New Year posts at Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi, and Gilimanuk Port.
Further direct reviews will be conducted at various locations, including Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, Ragunan Zoo, Taman Safari Bogor, and others.
“We would like to express our gratitude to the Ministry of Transportation and the airports, as well as all other relevant stakeholders, for their contributions to the Nataru Post at each location. In addition, various infrastructure and facilities have been prepared to maintain a high standard of tourism experience, as demonstrated by the pedestrian bridge connecting Bali Airport’s arrival and departure terminals to the drop-off area and parking building,” she stated.
Minister Widiyanti explained that the Ministry of Tourism will leverage all available communication channels to disseminate publication materials and socialize information to tourists. This will ensure that they can collectively maintain the experience of traveling independently and responsibly.
This step is designed to provide practical guidance and enhance tourist awareness of how to handle various situations during the holidays. The goal is to ensure that the tourism experience remains safe, comfortable, and enjoyable for all.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Tourism has initiated a tourism crisis management system to monitor tourism activities. Furthermore, the Ministry of Tourism will collaborate with relevant stakeholders and local governments to establish CHSE (Cleanliness, Health, Safety, Environmental Sustainability) in tourism activity centers and tourist attraction locations in each region.
In advance of the Christmas and New Year period, BMKG has issued an early warning to alert the public to the potential for extreme weather. One of the primary concerns for tourists is the unpredictability of weather patterns.
“Extreme weather can increase the risk of accidents. “I therefore encourage all stakeholders to monitor the latest weather forecasts on a routine basis and integrate this information into their planning for the Christmas and New Year period,” said Widiyanti.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Police, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, explained that this Coordination Meeting was a follow-up to the direction and policies of President Prabowo Subianto to ensure that the security activities for Christmas 2024 and New Year 2025 were carried out properly and effectively, with the goal of truly serving the public.
The Chief of Police outlined that his team had prepared 2,794 posts, comprising 1,852 security posts, 735 service posts, and 207 integrated posts. These will secure 61,452 security objects, including churches, shopping centers, terminals, stations, ports, airports, tourist attractions, and New Year celebration sites.
“With the deployment of personnel and all related stakeholders, we are confident that the celebration and security of Christmas 2024 and New Year 2025 will run smoothly, and the community will be served optimally,” concluded Listyo Sigit. [traveltext.id]
