TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is preparing a Cleanliness, Health and Safety program, also known as ‘CHS,’ which will be implemented in various tourist destinations in the country.

Spokesperson for the tourism and creative economy COVID-19 Task Force, Ari Juliano Gema, stated that the Cleanliness, Health and Safety program is geared to ensure that the public is ready to undergo a post COVID-19 pandemic new normal for tourism and the creative economy.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a need for new Standard Operational Procedures geared to recover the tourism sector and the creative economy," said Ari Juliano Gema, on Wednesday, May 27, 2020.

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is currently targeting for the standards and guidelines for the implementation of the CHS program to begin simulation by end of May, 2020.

Then, the CHS program is set to be verified with tourist deistnations, from June to July, 2020. Lastly, the implementation of the CHS program and certification scheme is targeted to take place from August to December 2020.

The CHS program will first be implemented in Bali, Yogyakarta and the Riau Islands, followed closely by five super priority destinations, namely Lake Toba, Borobudur, Mandalika, Labuan Bajo, and Likupang.

As part of the new normal in the tourism sector, Ari continued, there are new safety considerations, which include the managing of visitors, regulating the number of crowds, appeals for physical distancing, as well as security matters. "Including the communication mechanism for handling emergency conditions," Ari said.

In the implementation of the CHS program, tourists destinations are set to regularly clean spaces and public facilities with disinfectants, ensure the availability of hand washing facilities and sanitary trash bins, as well as maintaining communication with the regional COVID-19 Task Force and hospitals.

Furthermore, the CHS program will also body temperature checks, regulations to wear face masks and apply cough etiquettes while also avoiding hand shakes.

BRAM SETIAWAN | DIO SUHENDA (INTERN TRANSLATOR)