THE TOURISM SECTOR REMAINS LIMITED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The government has issued a Policy for the Enforcement of Restrictions on Community Activities (PPKM) level 3 throughout Indonesia for the 2021 Christmas and New Year 2022 holidays in the Instruction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Number 62 of 2021 (Inmendagri 62/2021). However, at this time the PPKM Level 3 provisions have been abolished by the Government through the Instruction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Number 66 of 2021 (Inmendagri 66/2021) which was signed on 9 December 2021 and effect the period from 24 December 2021 until 2 January 2021 which revoked Inmendagri 62/2021.1 Where regulation applies, there is now leeway where the maximum capacity of the number of tourists in a venue is now 75%, more than the original 50%.

The reason is that Indonesians who have been infected with COVID-19 and recovered, already have antibodies against Covid-19. Furthermore, the achievement of vaccination in Java-Bali has reached 76% for the first dose and 56% for the second and final dose. Indonesia is also considered to be able to overcome Covid-19, and this is evidenced by last month’s statistics. The number of additional daily Covid-19 cases in Indonesia appears under control as the average number of additional cases per day was only 400 new cases. Further, as for the latest rules to support the policy of cancelling PPKM Level 3, the government issued the Instruction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Number 63 of 2021 for Java-Bali (Inmendagri 63/2021) for Java-Bali which was signed on 29 November 2021 and Instruction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Number 65 of 2021 for outside Java-Bali signed on 6 December 2021 (Inmendagri 65/2021). In essence, in this regulation, each region applies a different PPKM level and does not entirely apply PPKM Level 3.

Meanwhile, the tourism sector will continue to apply the ban on all business places and tourist destinations to hold new year celebration events in closed or open areas.3 This includes processions, firecrackers, and fireworks,and the maximum capacity limit for visitors is still being applied. The prohibition is stated in the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Circular Number SE/2/M-K/2021 concerning Business Activities and Tourism Destinations During the 2021 Christmas and New Year 2022 Celebrations signed on December 6, 2021 (SE Kemenparekraf 2/2021) where this arrangement still refers to the Instruction of Ministry of Internal Affairs 62/2021.4 Although the implementation of the limitation on visitor capacity in the tourism sector is still enforced, the abolition of the implementation of PPKM Level 3 was welcomed by the Association of Indonesian Tourism Actors (“ASPPI”) represented by the Chairman of the ASPPI Board, Bahriyansah Momod who was optimistic, with the government’s policy in The abolition of the implementation of PPKM Level 3and believes that this can boost the performance of the tourism industry, albeit still implementing strict health protocols. Furthermore, he stated that it is estimated that the average visit or rate until the end of 2021 will be around 70%, which is higher than the average visit rate in 2020. IAN/HES