TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Wishnutama Kusubandio decided to temporarily stop tourism promotion to countries infected by the novel coronavirus or COVID-19. He said the program would resume after the condition returns to normal.

“We have also decided to suspend tourism promotion and provision of incentives to lure international tourists from countries affected by the virus, such as South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, and others,” said Wishnutama in a written statement on Wednesday, March 4.

A similar policy had been imposed for China following the widespread of the virus since January. Wishnutama elaborated that the effort aimed at protecting the community from the virus. Besides, it was taken in consideration of the condition of the tourism ecosystem across the archipelago.

As referred to the World Health Organization or WHO data, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said that several countries outside China were dealing with an increase in the COVID-19 cases, including South Korea with over 5,000 cases, followed by Italy, Iran, and Japan.

As for Indonesian citizens traveling aboard or vice versa, Retno explained that her ministry had issued travel information and special notice that can be accessed through the Safe Travel application belonging to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA