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INDONESIA’S Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is holding a ministerial coordination meeting regarding the expansion of the travel corridor arrangement for the tourism sector which allows for return visits of foreign tourists. The return of tourists is expected to be in line with the economic recovery, especially for areas that depend on the tourism sector and the creative economy, such as Bali Province.
According to the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, said President Joko Widodo asked for a number of efforts to restore the tourism sector, especially in Bali, to continue to be implemented so that the tourism sector could receive tourists back.
“This is a form of our commitment from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy to follow up on the guidance delivered by the President yesterday, namely how Bali can prepare an opening for foreign tourists in mid-June or July this year with various requirements,” said Sandiaga Uno in Bali, Nusa Dua.
Sandiaga explained that these requirements are a controlled and continuously suppressed number of COVID-19, increased compliance with health protocols, improvement and strengthening of testing, tracing and treatment and vaccination in Bali which is targeted to reach 2 million or more in July.
Previously, the Bali Provincial Government had determined a pilot project in three areas designated as green zones, namely Ubud in Gianyar Regency, Sanur in Denpasar City, and ITDC Nusa Dua in Badung Regency. The zoning is intended to form a zone with a healthy lifestyle and strictly implement standard health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic with a comprehensive vaccination policy for people who live and have activities in the area. This is at the same time a precondition for the stages that will be taken to reopen the tourism sector when the pandemic situation is under control.
“We discussed with the Foreign Minister and representatives of ministries/agencies, all of whom have provided input and we have reached an agreement that we will begin the process of finalizing our preparations in the travel corridor arrangement concept. We will monitor and evaluate this every two weeks and we will take coordination steps to reported to the President to immediately be leveled (limited meeting) and a decision was taken, “Sandiaga noted.
The evaluation starts from the vaccination rate which continues to be improved, monitoring of compliance with health protocols, as well as the readiness of ministries/agencies to support this plan. Such as e-Visa preparation from immigration, airport readiness prepared by the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises, as well as upgrading of PCR laboratories and so on.
From the results of the evaluation, it was then continued with a trial phase in three green zone areas in Bali.
“Our trial will be carried out as soon as possible. Of course, according to the President’s direction in June-July, we have about three months to prepare, of course there must be a simulation and maybe there will be a trial or pilot project. Maybe there will be a charter flight and we will really monitor it. in the field),” Sandiaga affirmed.
He added that the more testing we do, the better prepared we are. And after we do the monitoring and evaluation, if we can get the proof of concept, we can expand later both the origination area of the tourists and the tourist destinations as well. So later, maybe it can be expanded (not only in 3 green zone areas) as well as to other destinations such as Kuta or Seminyak or Canggu or Nusa Penida. This will be rigorously evaluated later.
Regarding the country’s target in implementing the travel corridor arrangement, the Minister of Tourism said that the determination would be led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Among them are countries with high levels of vaccination, countries with strict application of health protocols followed by high testing, tracing and treatment, as well as countries with a reciprocal principle and other factors.
“Earlier we mentioned that there were several countries such as the Netherlands, China, the United Arab Emirates or other Middle Eastern countries and Singapore. But the finalization depends on the travel corridor arrangement of each country,” Sandiaga completed. [traveltext.id]
