The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the operation of numerous sectors in Indonesia, including tourism.

Surveys have shown that travelers plan to be more cautious in the future. An internal survey of lifestyle and travel platform Traveloka found that confidence in traveling had increased but that people had become more conscious of health and safety.

The Jakarta Post has compiled a list tourism trends that seem likely to occur or continue after the pandemic.

Tighter protocols

Batam Tourism Polytechnic, a private tourism university in Riau, has predicted that modes of transportation will continue to enforce health protocols to ensure travelers' safety.

Airlines are currently requiring travelers to present negative COVID-19 test results, along with other documents, prior to departure. It is possible that this procedure will continue in the future.

There has been demand for airports to provide rapid test services for travelers, particularly those located in popular tourist destinations. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten; Yogyakarta International Airport; Husein Sastranegara International Airport in Bandung, West Java; and Supadio International Airport in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, all offer such services.

Batam Tourism Polytechnic also predicted that travelers would spend more time preparing for trips and recommended that travelers allocate additional time to book tickets and seats to ensure their plans run smoothly.

Hygiene

The importance of cleanliness and hygiene has increased for travelers. Hand sanitizer, tissues and masks have become essential items, and they will continue to be indispensable for some time. Tourist establishments should respond to this tendency by prioritizing health protocols to win visitors’ trust.

Touchless tourism

A touchless environment may become the norm as the pandemic continues. Despite stringent health protocols, COVID-19 infection may remain a possibility, as people often touch various surfaces during their trips.

The use of technology is necessary in a hands-free environment, including touchless document scanning, voice commands and motion sensors to reduce high-touch surfaces and physical interaction.

Closer destinations

Hermawan Kartajaya, the founder and chairman of marketing consulting firm MarkPlus, told kompas.com in April that, after the pandemic, tourists would opt for closer destinations as they might hesitate to plan long-distance trips and some countries might retain travel restrictions.

Domestic tourism and staycations

Online searches for "staycation" in Indonesia surged after several locations began to ease large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in June. Hermawan predicted that domestic tourism and staycations would increase after the pandemic as people living in cities wanted to travel to nearby locations. “This is where hotels and other establishments can ensure travelers’ health, safety and flexibility,” he said. (wir/wng)