Jokowi Optimistic Tourism Will Revive After People Receive Covid-19 Vaccine Shots

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo has expressed optimism that Indonesia's tourism sector would recover after the people receive their Covid-19 vaccine shots.

Jokowi expressed this confidence during a handing over of working capital assistance (BMK) to vendors on the sidelines of his working visit to Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara Province on October 1.

“Things will get back to normal when the vaccines are available, [people] receive the vaccines then the situation will return to normal. The tourism sector will revive and hotel occupancy rates will start to pick up,” said Jokowi in a video uploaded to the Presidential Secretariat’s official YouTube channel.

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He also called on the vendors in tourist destinations such as in Labuan Bajo not to close down their businesses during this challenging time. If the vendors stop their businesses, it would be even more difficult for them when the economy starts to recover.

Therefore, he went on to add, the government has been distributing BMK to the vendors and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) so they can survive during the pandemic.

“Everything has been difficult everywhere. Big countries, developing countries, small countries have all been terribly affected by the same problem. But we must not complain, we must not give up. We have to keep the spirit alive,” said Jokowi.

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“Your stalls will start to attract customers as many as before the pandemic or even more,” the President said.

It was previously reported that the government provides working capital assistance of 2.4 million rupiahs ($162) to about 12 million MSMEs to lessen their financial burden during the Covid-19 pandemic.

(Writer: Rakhmat Nur Hakim | Editor: Krisiandi)

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/10/01/21314471/jokowi-sebut-pariwisata-akan-kembali-pulih-setelah-vaksin-disuntikkan.