FINAL EXAM (ENGLISH FOR HOSPITALITY)
INDONESIAN HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY CONDITION AND
BREAKTHROUGH DURING COVID 19 PANDEMIC
Indonesia
Abstract
The Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has affected
various sectors and lifelines, including the tourism sector and the hospitality
industry. This study
aims to identify and analyze the Indonesian hospitality industry condition
and breakthrough during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The research used a descriptive qualitative method by using
secondary data sources from research results, references, and online
news related to research. Data collection techniques using documentation techniques. From the study, it was found that the Coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic affected the hospitality industry. Many
hotel industry slumps, even some hotels are forced to close
their activities and lay off many employees. To
survive in a pandemic time, health protocols
must be implemented not only applied to the guests but also all elements of the hotel management. By
implementing health protocols, it is hoped that
tourism and hospitality industry activities can grow back gradually.
Keywords – Coronavirus
(COVID-19), Hospitality,
Indonesia
Introduction
Based on the World Health Organization (2019),
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals
or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause
respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases
such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus
disease COVID-19. While COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most
recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before
the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19 is now a
pandemic affecting many countries globally (World Health Organization, 2019).
At the beginning of march, the government of Indonesia
officially announced the first two confirmed the Coronavirus
(COVID-19) cases. Moreover, on March 2,
2020, President Joko Widodo announced that Indonesia was affected by the Coronavirus
(COVID-19) as well as calling it as a disaster. The National Disaster
Management Agency (BNPB) refers explicitly to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) as a
non-natural disaster with a national scale of coverage. To reduce the
distribution of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), various policies were implemented,
ranging from social distancing policies, work from home (WFH) policies, learn
from home policies, pray from home
policies, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) health protocols, until large-scale social
restriction policies (PSBB). The Coronavirus (COVID-19) makes a great significant
impact on community activities, ranging from social, cultural, educational,
economic, to businesses, including hospitality.
Methodology
This study aims to analyze the Indonesian hospitality industry condition and breakthrough during the Coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic. The
research used a descriptive qualitative method, using secondary
data sources from research results, references, and online news related to research. The data collection techniques used in this research is a documentation technique.
The type of data is secondary data, both in the form of qualitative and quantitative
data.
Finding(s) and Discussion
The
Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has influenced and brought many impacts to the various sectors and
aspects of human life across
the globe, ranging
from social, cultural, educational, economic, to the businesses. The Coronavirus (COVID-19)
pandemic makes a significant impact to the one of the linchpins
of the global economy, the
tourism industry. It brings a widespread impact on
the tourism industry, including
the hospitality industry. Even, the hospitality
industry is suffering the most due
to the lack of hotel guests. As we know,
the Coronavirus (COVID-19) decrease the travel activities
of the tourists. There are many
tourist cancelled their vacation and caused losses lot of trillions of rupiah. The
tourist also feel insecure to travel, they
prefer not to travel and staying at home,. In addition, some
countries also
have travel bans, the goverment
increase the strict regulations, and many airlines
close their flights. The canceled event due
to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) also
make the tourism and hospitality industry down. Hotel that were booked
are receiving calls to postpone plans or even cancel entirely. The hotel industry recognize
the drastic drop in occupancy rates. Because of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many hotel
industry slump and even forced to close its activities and lay off many employees.
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| (Sumber : eturbonews.com) |
Based
on the Colliers International
records, the average hotel room occupancy rate in the Asia Pacific dropped to
only 42.1%, and
the daily rental rate fell to the
US $ 97.86 equivalent to Rp 1.46 million / room. In Indonesia, the hotel industry has felt the impact of
the Coronavirus (COVID-19) since January 2020. The Indonesian Chamber
of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) said that as many as 1,650 hotels were closed
due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) impact. Meanwhile,
according to the Indonesian Hotels & Restaurants Association (PHRI), as of
April 1, 2020, there were around 1,139 hotels that were closed and the losses
befalling the hotel and restaurant industry in Indonesia were estimated to
reach around the US $ 1.5 billion or
equivalent to Rp21 trillion until early April. Futhermore, the
Chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Hariyadi
Sukamdani said, until Monday (6/4/2020) there were already 1,226 hotels closed
and it affected about 150,000 employees. Specifically, based
on the data from Colliers,
there are about 25 hotels in Jakarta that have stopped or temporarily closed,
while there are also nine hotels that have been converted to medical personnel. While in Bali, the
decline in Chinese tourist arrivals due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
impact the Bali tourism sector as Chinese tourists are the biggest contribution
of tourists. Then, the hotel occupancy rates dropped by 60-80 percent,
especially in Nusa Dua, Tuban and Legian.
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| (Sumber : tirto.id-antarafoto) |
The
Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
has brought many changes. Responding to this, the hotel industry are demanded to be able
to adapt and implement special strategies to
survive in the midst of this pandemic. In
order to prevent transmission of the Coronavirus
(COVID-19), various
new policies were implemented. The
hotel industry must operate differently,
prioritizing
and implementing
the health protocols.
Cleanliness becomes the most important thing. The hotel industry must be able to
maintain cleanliness, including regularly cleaning all areas in the
hotel, especially in
the bedrooms and bathrooms area. During the Coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic, a policy to limit the number of the guests was
implemented. Moreover, the hotel industry must also be able to fulfill other health protocols and policies such as social distancing,
temperature checking, disinfectant spraying, obligation to wash hands, ensure
the availability of hand sanitizers, wearing masks, and limiting elevator
capacity. The
Coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission
prevention protocol is not only applied to the
guests but also to all employees and hotel management. By implementing the
health protocols, it
is hoped to prevent the transmission and reduce
the spread of the
Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Futhermore,
the hotel industry also must consider their financial condition. They must
evaluate the contract, prioritize expenses, and cut costs that are not
important. Spending such as large capital projects should be delayed until the
business returns to normal again. In addition, digital applications must also
be further improved. It is also hoped that the government through the Ministry
of Tourism can provide assistance in the form of incentives or financial
stimulus assistance to the hotels that are still ready to continue operating,
so that the hotel industry can survive during the pandemic. We hope
that this pandemic will soon end so that we can all resume normal travel
without fear because of the virus and
the hotel industry in Indonesia can grow again.
Conclusion(s)
The
Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affected the hospitality industry. Many hotel
industry slumps,
even some hotels are forced to close their activities and lay off many employees. To survive in the Coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic time, the hospitality industry is demanded to be creative. They needs to make a different
operating system. Moreover, the safety
and cleanliness will be the main focus. Health protocols must be implemented
not only applied to the guests, but also applies to all elements of the hotel
management. By implementing health protocols,
it is hoped that tourism and hospitality industry
activities can grow back gradually.
References
World
Health Organization. (2019). Retrieved Juny
14, 2020, from Corona
Virus : http://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
Ponggoh,
Alvy. (2020). Kompasiana. Retrieved Juny 14, 2020, from Bagaimana Industri
Perhotelan Bisa “Survived” dan Menjadi Solusi dalam Menghadapi Pandemi
Covid-19? :
Novika,
Soraya. (2020). detikFinance. Retrieved
Juny 14, 2020, from Corona Hantam Bisnis Hotel di Asia Pasifik, Lebih Parah
dari SARS : https://finance.detik.com/berita-ekonomi-bisnis/d-5024312/corona-hantam-bisnis-hotel-di-asia-pasifik-lebih-parah-dari-sars
Ramli, Rully.
(2020) . kompascom. Retrieved Juny 14, 2020, Dampak Virus Corona, 1.226 Hotel di Indonesia Tutup : https://money.kompas.com/read/2020/04/07/120414826/dampak-virus-corona-1226-hotel-di-indonesia-tutup
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