Following several months of closure due to COVID-19, Indonesia’s parks and nature-based attractions are now officially ready to welcome back tourists. In the latest revival of Indonesia’s tourism sector, the government has permitted a total of 29 national parks across 10 provinces, from Jakarta to South Sulawesi and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
The news was confirmed by Siti Nurbaya, who is Indonesia’s minister of environment and forestry. According to the minister, attractions back open for business include Mount Rinjani, which is a volcano at the heart of a UNESCO Global Geopark in Lombok; West Bali National Park; Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java; and Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in East Nusa Tenggara that’s home to the fabled Komodo dragon. In each of the 29 national parks and nature locations, domestic tourism has already been allowed to resume, in preparation for the return of international tourists next month. The reopening of Indonesia’s most compelling natural wonders gives returning visitors an opportunity to safely explore the great outdoors.
To ensure the safety of guests when they return to these locations, each of the parks will operate at 10-to-30 per cent capacity, in order to avoid overcrowding and enable visitors to maintain social distancing. Standard operating procedures such as temperature checks, wearing of masks and the availability of hand sanitizers will also be mandatory.
Wishnutama Kusubandio, who is minister of tourism and creative economy in Indonesia, has welcomed the new regulations, commenting that the enforcement of health protocols in tourist destinations throughout the archipelago is vital to restoring tourists’ confidence in each of the destinations.
In a sign of Indonesia’s commitment to safer travel for returning visitors, Komodo National Park is trialling an online booking system. According to Shana Fatina Sukarsono, who is head of Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority, the park will also limit the number of visitors to a maximum of 50 per day. The park is currently only open to provincial travellers, though this will be extended nationwide from 17th August, and then expanded further to include foreign travellers at a later date.
With offices strategically located throughout Indonesia, and a wide range of products and services available, Panorama Destination is perfectly placed to welcome international tourists back to Indonesia. To ensure their wellbeing, we have prepared an extensive range of health, safety and operational protocols for dealing with COVID-19, which can be viewed here.
Panorama Destination has also partnered with local government, international health experts and industry partners to provide extensive safeguards for returning travellers. One such measure is our certification by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), with whom we have joined the ‘Safe Travels’ campaign, to ensure that visitors to Indonesia can enjoy safe and memorable travel experiences when they return next month.
