TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said the government would prioritize to open doors for international tourists in Batam and Bintan, Riau Islands, before Bali, as the two regions are considered to be more ready.

"This is because Batam-Bintan are far more ready [than Bali]," Sandiaga said in Batam, Saturday, March 20.

The tourist destination that will be opened in Batam is Nongsa, and Lagoi in Bintan. These two destinations are shceduled to open on April 21, while Bali in June and July.

Based on president's order, the reopening of destinations for foreign tourists can be done gradually, with the requirement that the number of Covid-19 infection is under control. The number of coronavirus infection on Riau Islands has been reportedly low and stable; even the number of the virus transmission in Nongsa and Lagoi is reported to be zero.

Today, Sandiaga led a coordination meeting regarding the plan of opening the safety travel corridor in Nongsa and Lagoi. During the meeting, he iterated that the main thing that needs to be set is the knowledge of conducting strict and discipline health measures by wearing masks, social distancing, and washing hands, as well as testing, tracing, and treatment; and finally vaccination.

Sandiaga Uno invited the businesses to revive the tourism sector on the Riau Islands, especially in Batam and Bintan by implementing the health protocols in a more discipline manner. "Let me underline that this is all possible to be done if Covid-19 infection on the Riau Islands is under control and can be supporessed as low as possible," the minister asserted.

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Antara