IDNEWSNOW.COM, Jakarta – The Indonesian hotel and restaurant association (PHRI) is reportedly financially hit by the rising number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases. PHRI chairperson, Haryadi Sukamdani, said that the growing cases have caused the industry to sustain losses after briefly boosting its income from August’s long holiday weekends.
“We had two long weekends the last time and several regions showed improvements. But after that, occupancy rates dropped again after coronavirus cases grew,” said Haryadi on Wednesday, September 9.
As per September 9, Indonesia saw 3,307 new cases which have resulted in a national cumulative of 203,342 cases. The curve that has yet flattened, he said, has caused people to cancel going on a trip. He claimed the past months where cases were relatively controlled, people’s interest in traveling had gradually improved.
The PHRI chair said the tourism industry will face difficulties in planning for the future as the current condition seems to be bleak. This uncertainty has caused a number of hotel owners to partially close operations to survive the condition, such as in Bali where only 10 percent of hotels are fully-operating while the rest have idnewsnowrarily stopped their operations.
Read: Tourism Sector Lost Over Rp85 Trillion Amidst Pandemic, Says PHRI
FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA
