SPREADING PREVENTION OF CORONA VIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) IN TOURISM SECTOR

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Coronavirus is a group of virus that are able to inflict diseases on animals or humans. A few species of coronavirus are known to infect the respiratory tract of humans ranging from coughing to flu to even worse cases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Covid-19 is an infectious disease that Is caused by a species of coronavirus that was identified in December 2019 that is now a pandemic.

Prevention mechanisms in the tourism sector is the purvue of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy in accordance with President Joko Widodo’s discretion in the form of Circular Letter of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia Number 2 of 2020. The letter is titled The Instruction to Follow-Up the Prevention of the Spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (“CL MTCE 2/2020”) and Instruksi Dalam Negeri Nomor 66 Tahun 2021 tentang Prevention and Countermeasures to Corona Virus Disease 2019 on Christmas 2021 and New Year 2022 (“INMENDAGRI 66/2021”).

As stipulated in CL MTCE 2/2020 in part B , it is explained that the officials in the tourism and creative economy sectors have to undergo consultation and report the development of anticipation and handling of the impact of infections of COVID-19 with the Governor, district officer or Mayor as well as to provide mediation and services to society. Furthermore, those officials must also perform monitoring and report on the economic impact due to COVID-19 that is in relation to tourism to the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economic.

Prior to the end of the year, tourism attractions were forbidden to hold end of the year celebration events whether in an enclosed place or outdoors, including pageant, firework party and fireworks. There are several procedures that have to complied with by tourist attractions such as restaurants, cafés and bars. These include restriction on operational hours with a maximum capacity of customer reduced to 75% of usual normal capacity and a maximum time limit to eat of 60 minutes for every customer. In addition to these restrictions, there are several processes that have to be conducted as well, including:

1. Increase the awareness on tourist object specially for in regions including Bali, Bandung , Bogor, Yogyakarta, Malang, Surabaya, Medan, and etc;
2. Identify tourist attractions that have become a target for vacations in every regent/city to implement health protocols;
3. Implement rules of ganjil-genap to regulate visits to priority tourist attractions;
4. To implement the 5M health protocols (mask, wash hands with siap/hand sanitizer, keep distance, decrease mobility, and avoid crowd places);
5. Increase socialization, strengthen the use and enforcement of the PeduliLindungi handphone application upon entering and exiting a tourist attraction venue including visiting attractions with a green category whose entry Is permitted;
6. Ensure safe social distance among crowds;
7. Limit the amount of visitors to 75 (seventy-five percent) from total capacity;
8. Prohibit celebration parties with crowds in an open/closed area;
9. Reduce the use of sound amplifiers that will cause the appearance of massive crowds; and
10. Limit the activity for society including artistic performances that may attract crowds that have the potential of increased infection of COVID-19.

In conclusion, the enactment of the Circular Letter of Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economic Number 2 of 2020 and Instruksi Menteri Dalam Negeri Nomor 66 Tahun 2021 provide a set of procedures and protocols in handling the COVID-19 pandemic to the stakeholders in the tourism and creative economic sectors. Aside from that, with the enactment of the Circular Letter and Instruksi Menteri above, it also gives detailed explanation on how tourist attractions must comply with health protocols and mitigate the spread of COVID-19. JXR/YAN/HES