Reopening of Tourism for Foreigners Postponed until June

PT BINTAN RESORT CAKRAWALA

Aerial photo of the Lagoi National Tourism Strategic Area (KSPN) in Bintan Regency, Riau Islands, June 2020.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The government has postponed the reopening of tourism for foreigners. Initially scheduled for this month, the move is now set to take place in June or July. The government and the tourism industry still have lots of work to do to ensure travellers are safe from Covid-19. Indonesia\'s readiness to reopen tourism relies on the ability to control the spread of the disease.

As part of the initial step in the implementation of the ravel corridor arrangement (TCA) -- a program for the reopening of certain tourist destinations to foreign travellers from certain countries -- Riau Islands, which includes Lagoi (Bintan) and Nongsa (Batam), and Bali, which includes Nusa Dua, Ubud and Sanur, will be reopened to international travellers in the middle of this year. Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said on Tuesday (20/4/2021) that the travel corridor plan was currently being finalized. According to the latest plan, Indonesia would select a number of tourist destinations in June or July 2021.

In a special interview with Kompas at the end of February 2021, Sandiaga said the planned travel corridor with a number of countries would be initially implemented at the end of March or early April 2021. At that time, negotiations with Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, China and several other countries were underway (Kompas, 22/2/ 2021).

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However, the move was later postponed to the end of April 2021. Bintan and Batam were to be initially reopened to Singaporean tourists on April 21, according to the request from the Riau Islands provincial government. However, the planned reopening was postponed again, as the government needed more time to prepare for the implantation of the plan.

"Initially, (Batam and Bintan) were going to be reopened in April as requested by the Riau Islands provincial government. It was an ambitious plan, and I respect that, but we still have to work very hard to prepare the reopening of this travel corridor in June or July, "Sandiaga said in a discussion titled " Travel Bubble, Efforts to Restore the Economy" in Jakarta on Tuesday.

KOMPAS/KRISTIAN OKA PRASETYADI

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno (front right) walks on Pulisan Beach when visiting Marinsow Village which is part of the Likupang Special Economic Zone, North Minahasa, North Sulawesi, Saturday (6/3/2021).

Bali, Batam and Bintan have been selected as the initial destinations to be reopened as part of the travel corridor, because economic activities in those regions rely much on the tourism, which is among the industries hardest hit by the pandemic. "The second consideration is the readiness of the regions to ensure that the travelling is safe from Covid-19," he added.

According to Sandiaga, currently the government is still finalizing the design of a safe traveling arrangements, starting from the arrival of foreign tourists at the airport until their return. The tourists must also be free of the coronavirus, so that they would not infect the local community during their visit, and return safely to their home countries.

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A lot of preparation is needed, such as the issuance of regulations, the implementation of integrated travel corridors, certified and safe from Covid-19 transmission, as well as health insurance schemes for tourists if they catch the virus during their visit to Indonesia, and the operation of an online application that is able to trace if there are foreign tourists infected with Covid-19.

"Players in the tourism sector must also adapt (to the new situation) by implementing health protocols and obtaining CHSE (cleanliness, health, safety and environmental sustainability) certification. We must be prepared to abandon the old way in doing business,” Sandiaga said.

KOMPAS/COKORDA YUDISTIRA

Penglipuran Traditional Village, a tourist village in Bangli, Saturday (17/4/2021). Penglipuran Tourism Village has been certified by the CHSE-based health protocol as a form of destination readiness during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Covid-19 Control

The most important aspect in the preparation for the reopening of tourist destinations is the ability to control Covid-19 transmission. The government is currently implementing a mass vaccination program to halt the spread of the disease. Sandiaga said that 2.5 million to 3 million people in Bali had been fully vaccinated as of July.

Kurleni Ukar, the undersecretary for policy strategy at the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry, said the government would carry out intensive supervision and evaluation before the implementation of the travel corridor. "For Bali, supervision will carried out every two weeks, and once a week for Batam and Bintan. "We have also formed a working group in the regions that will regularly report on the progress of preparations both in upstream and downstream activities," he said.

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The implementation of the travel corridor hinges on containing Covid-19. Other countries also need guarantees that the pandemic in Indonesia is under control. Singapore, for example, has provided alternative scenarios according to which the travel corridor with Indonesia would be opened either on 21 April, on 1 May or on 1 June. The decision and the results of the ongoing negotiations depend on the handling of the pandemic in both countries.

Center of Reform on Economics Indonesia research director Piter Abdullah said the opening of the travel corridor was believed to be able to help revive the economy in the tourism sector. However, the government should remain realistic in setting targets, he added.

Our economy depends on tourism, and domestic tourists alone are not enough to drive it.

According to the president of the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Companies, N Rusmiati, the association members were aware about the dilemma that had to be faced in reviving the economy amid the pandemic. However, she expressed hope that the government would not take too long to reopen tourism. "I know we have to wait for the pandemic to end. However, our economy depends on tourism, and domestic tourists alone are not enough to drive it, "he said.

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.