TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government planned to dispense a budget of Rp72 billion for media relations and social media influencers as an effort to promote tourism, said Coordinating Minister for Economy Airlangga Hartarto after a limited meeting on the anticipation of the coronavirus impact on the country’s economy with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

Airlangga explained that the fund is part of the tourism incentive worth Rp298.5 billion. The government was set to provide a subsidy of Rp98.5 billion for discounts of flight tickets, Rp103 billion for tourism promotion, and Rp25 billion for tourism events.

“As well as media relations and influencers at Rp72 billion,” said the minister in the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Tuesday, Feb. 25.

According to Minister Airlangga, the government would disburse nearly Rp10 trillion to suppress the impact of the coronavirus on Indonesia’s economy.

The fund would be disbursed through several policies, starting from pre-employment card program, the budget hike in Family Hope Program (PKH), housing and tourism incentives, the discount of avtur or jet fuel, the subsidy of flight tickets, up to the tax removal for hotel and restaurants in ten tourist destinations.

Earlier reported, President Jokowi issued four instructions to all his ministers in a bid to tackle the impact of the coronavirus or Covid-19 on Indonesia's economy.

AHMAD FAIZ