UNAIR NEWS – One of the industries significantly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic is the tourism sector. Since the government implemented the Covid-19 alert, various tourist destinations have experienced a decrease in the number of tourists and a decline in the economic sector.
As a response, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf) in collaboration with Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) held a discussion entitled Parekraf Goes to Campus. The event was held at Garuda Mukti Hall Management Office Building 5th Floor Campus C UNAIR on Saturday, November 14, 2020, and streamed live through YouTube channel of Universitas Airlangga.
Also attending for the occasion, Prof. Dr. Elly Munadziroh, drg., MS, K. Candra Negara, Meysrias Zhanglisha, Dinda Anggriani, Novianto Edi Suharno as speakers and moderated by Anelies Praramadhani.
In her speech, Prof. Elly said that the pandemic had a big impact on the tourism industry. As a result, many business practitioners in the tourism sector experienced economic downturns.
“The government policy to open several tourism sectors with health protocols is the right step,” said Elly.
Pandemic conditions, continued Elly, make all activities carried out from home, online. It makes technology more familiar to use and increases people’s creativity, especially in social media.
With the opening of tourist destinations, according to Elly, it will provide a stimulus to the economy of business and industrial practitioners. Also, the technology that provides easy acceleration of information can be used for rebranding, especially the younger generation as users.
Meanwhile, Candra Negara who is the Director of Inter-institutional Relations at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy stated that the younger generation has a very crucial role because most technology users today are millennials.
“Millennials are very creative and well educated on technology. They can become agents of introduction to tourism by creating creative content for their social media,” explained Candra.
That way, continued Candra, the use of social media is not only for less productive purposes. However, you can participate in developing the tourism industry by publishing it.
Furthermore, this pandemic will also be a stimulus that triggers the creativity of tourism business practitioners to give birth to innovations, both on products and services that will be offered to tourists.
“This is our chance to be more creative and stop just following trends. We must be independent and provide something unique to tourists, “he added.
In the end, Candra advised that the creativity and innovation that were presented should not forget the locality and regional wisdom. This, according to him, is an important point that has become unique characteristic or identity. (*)
Author: Muhammad Wildan Suyuti Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
