The ministry has designated the regions of Bali, Bintan, and Batam as the pilot regions for the planned reopening of tourism attractions in the near future
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno highlighted two vital messages for tourism recovery in his opening remarks at the 2021 Global Tourism Forum (GTF) annual meeting hosted by Indonesia.

"The first message we need to spread is confidence. We need to convince the world that Indonesia is confident to reopen the tourism industry, with strict health protocols in place," Minister Uno noted in his opening remarks at the event here, Wednesday.

According to the minister, the second important message is that of revival, as recovery of the tourism industry would ensure 14 million new job opportunities for Indonesian residents.


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Moreover, tourism recovery will increase the national gross domestic product (GDP), lower unemployment, and promote local empowerment, Uno remarked.

The minister also expressed gratitude for efforts by the regional organization ASEAN to drive recovery of the tourism industry while noting that the recent special meeting among ASEAN countries' tourism ministers held in April 2020 to deliberate on efforts to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry, successfully set a safety standard for the industry's recovery.

The tourism ministry has also put in place the national health protocol regulation for the tourism industry. The regulation necessitates vaccination for tourism industry actors and Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environment Sustainability (CHSE) certification for tourism attractions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the reopened tourist attractions.

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"The ministry has designated the regions of Bali, Bintan, and Batam as the pilot regions for the planned reopening of tourism attractions in the near future," the minister stated.

Uno reasserted the ministry's support to President Joko Widodo's commitment to enhancing national investment by expediting infrastructure development at five tourism destinations of Borobudur, Toba Lake, Mandalika, Labuan Bajo, and Likupang, which have been prioritized.

"I believe those measures will lead us in the right direction, and our tourism industry will come back stronger," Minister Uno noted.


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Translator: M Baqir Idrus A, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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