VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Chairman of the Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (INACA) Denon Prawiraatmadja (left) and Chairman of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRI) Hariyadi Sukamdani (right) after the signing of the cooperation agreement in Badung, Bali on Saturday (Aug 29, 2020). ANTARA/Naufal

The Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRI) and the Indonesia National Air Carriers Association (INACA) agreed on offering affordable and safe tour packages to facilitate recovery of the tourism industry impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The increased traffic of air passengers and hotel occupancy will boost the economy in tourist destination areas after dropping sharply in the past few months owing to the COVID-19 pandemic," PHRI Chairman Hariyadi Sukamdani stated at the signing of the agreement between INACA and PHRI in Badung District, Bali, on Saturday.

Sukamdani noted that the agreement is part of the Safe Travel Campaign conducted by the two associations in the past month.

The PHRI chairman noted that the efforts to increase the number of air passengers and hotel occupancy in tourism destinations should lay emphasis on two issues.

"First, public confidence to fly again can be increased by applying health protocols. Second, in terms of pricing, it must be affordable," he stated.

Sukamdani admitted that the pandemic had dealt a major blow to the economy in regions depending on the tourism sector, including Bali.

"Bali has a total of 140 thousand hotel rooms. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, 80 percent of the hotels were closed. As a consequence, Bali's economy was hit the hardest, clocking minus 10.98 percent in the second quarter," he stated.

Sukamdani has also urged the local government to support the moves taken by the two associations by offering tax relaxation for hotel and airline operators.

The PHRI will also work closely with health authorities to offer health facilities at tourism destinations.

"It would not be impossible to change work from home and school from home into work from hotel and school from the hotel during holidays," Sukamdani pointed out.

INACA Chairman Denon Prawiraatmadja remarked that the association members can hold business-to-business discussions with the PHRI members on the implementation of the agreement.

Prawiraatmadja noted that INACA will continue to conduct the Safe Travel Campaign at several tourism destination areas across the country. He also called on airlines to prepare special health protocols for children. (ANTARA)