UNAIR NEWS – Covid-19 pandemic has slowed Indonesia’s economic sector down in recent months. To deal with this issue, Banyuwangi Regency Government initiated The New Normal Tourism as a crisis management for Covid-19 pandemic situation.
Banyuwangi Regent Abdullah Azwar Anas stated his initiative in Rebound Strategy Webinar for New Normal and Beyond with Master of Management in the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga (MM FEB UNAIR), Wednesday, July 29, 2020. Banyuwangi Regent said he was ready to apply the new normal to the tourism sector.
“During the new normal period, all services in the Banyuwangi Government became the Covid-19 task force services,” he said.
Real steps, he applied health protocols certification to hotels, restaurants and tour guides. The step was taken as an initial anticipation of Covid-19 prevention for tourism accommodation.
Azwar Anas also involved religious leaders to directly educate the public to be obedient in maintaining the health protocols. The effort is an initiative of Banyuwangi Regency Government to look after its community.
“The community seems to be able to live a disciplined life implementing health protocols if we collaborate with religious leaders,” he said.
Banyuwangi Regency Government’s policy does not stop in the tourism sector. In the social sector, Dasa Wiswa policy was also applied.
The Dasa Wisma Policy is a monitoring program that every ten households are monitored by one coordinator. This program will make the community always disciplined in implementing health protocols.
The New Normal Tourism Policy conducted by the Banyuwangi Regency Government received a positive response from Coordinator of MM FEB UNAIR Dr. Gancar Candra Premananto, SE, M. Si.,. In his opinion, Azwar Anas’s policy in managing crisis management has been implemented well.
“During this new normal period, I saw Banyuwangi Regency Government to be the first region that was ready to welcome the new normal economy, especially in tourism,” he explained.
Gancar revealed that Azwar Anas’s leadership had led to how to survive in a crisis. The Covid-19 barrier can be used as a potential to explore innovations to survive even in times of crisis.
He also gave appreciation to the Banyuwangi Regency Government which has been trusted by the President of the Republic of Indonesia and the Governor of East Java as one of the regions that is ready to implement a new normal in the tourism sector. There is a possibility that innovation presented by the Banyuwangi Regency Government will be an example for other regions. (*)
Author: Aditya Novrian
Editor: Khefti Almawalia
