TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tourism and Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno postponed the Work From Bali program due to the implementation of the emergency state of community-level public activity restrictions (Emergency PPKM or PPKM Darurat) in Java-Bali. The program was initially scheduled to be effective at the beginning of Q3 this year.

“The handling of Covid-19 must be fully supported,” said Sandiaga in his statement on Thursday, July 1.

He also suspended various tourism recovery programs, such as the reopening of Bali for foreign tourists, vaccine tourism packages, and travel corridor arrangements (TCA).

The ministry, he added, would adjust policies to the regulations set by the Covid-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee.

The government decided to enforce Emergency PPKM from July 3 to 20, 2021. During the policy enforcement, all tourist attractions must be closed.

Sandiaga said he would ask all business actors in the tourism sector to comply with the government’s new measure. The former Jakarta deputy governor believed that the economic recovery would run better if the high Covid-19 trend could be contained. “Because the safety and health of the Indonesian people is the main priority,” he underlined.

As a mitigation effort, Sandiaga Uno planned to accelerate the disbursement of grant funds, including incentives and social assistance, to support the resilience of the tourism industry sector during the implementation of the Java-Bali Emergency PPKM.

Read: Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno Initiates Work From Borobudur Program

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA