TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Online travel agent Tiket.com is reportedly coming up with a particular strategy to preserve its employees and preventing any form of layoff amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, which has severely affected the tourism industry.

One of the moves the company implements is by partially eliminating its operational costs. One of the company's spendings that was slashed was the marketing department with a 90 percent cut.

“We are cutting the operational costs before others. Such as in our marketing department, which we slashed by 90 percent. This is because the timing has pushed us to take that step,” said Tiket.com marketing director Gaery Undarsa in today’s virtual press conference.

Gaery Undarsa assured that the company’s decision was aimed at retaining its employees. He added the company would not introduce any wage or benefit cuts as it viewed its human resources as its largest asset. He asserted that layoffs were the last resort for its management in facing an economic disaster.

As for the financial losses Tiket.com sustained due to the global coronavirus pandemic, he said the company had seen a drop of up to 75 percent, which stemmed from the significant decline in hotel and airfare bookings after countries closed its airports to cut the transmission chain of coronavirus.

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA