We support recovery of the tourism and creative economy sectors in two waysJakarta (ANTARA) - A top official of the Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Informatics pointed to two strategies to expedite recovery of the tourism and creative economy sectors amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We support recovery of the tourism and creative economy sectors in two ways. The first approach is to prepare the internet network infrastructure. The second strategy is to support efforts to boost public communication," the ministry's Director General of Information and Public Communication Usman Kansong stated at a virtual coordination meeting on Monday.
According to Kansong, the first step is to improve the internet network infrastructure in the government's administrative and residential areas, especially in the frontier, remote, and disadvantaged areas.
The ministry also called on cellular operators to complete the construction of BTS (base transceiver station) towers on a massive scale, so that existing signals can be distributed evenly, and its advantages can be felt by the people.
Preparation of internet infrastructure in those areas experiencing signal-related difficulties will enable tourism or creative economy players to access information more quickly from their devices.
Infrastructure readiness for 4G internet signals is also focused on tourist areas, so that they can support smart travelers and make the tourist area a smart destination in accordance with regulations in Indonesia, he stated
Lastly, not only in terms of infrastructure but also digital talents, especially from the creative economy business actors, were also honed during the training conducted by the Communication and Information Technology Ministry.
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The second strategy, which is a major step in the economic recovery of the tourism and creative economy sectors implemented by the Communication and Information Technology Ministry, aims to prepare effective and interesting public communications.
"Our number one public communication strategy is to focus on people, who are still unsure about the readiness of health protocols at tourist attractions," Kansong remarked.
There has been a significant decline in the number of COVID-19 cases, so the handling of the pandemic and the economic recovery plan, especially from the tourism sector, have become better.
However, there is a lack of trust among some sections of the population regarding the government's handling and plans, for which positive and sustainable public communication is deemed necessary, so that the tourism sector can yet again draw the public's attention.
Disseminating news related to programs, government policies, and tourism readiness in Indonesia based on Clean, Health, Safety and Environment (CHSE) and health protocols to the media is one way for Kominfo to gain the public's trust.
The ministry continues to edify the public to follow health protocols while vacationing or working in the creative field, so that the handling of the pandemic and economic recovery can concomitantly run well.
Steps were also taken to get rid of misinformation and hoaxes related to pandemic handling in the tourism and creative economy sectors in order to boost public trust.
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Translator: Livia Kristianti, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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