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Pandemic forces tourist destinations to adapt their operations
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Visitors enjoy the view at Ragunan Zoo in Jakarta on Sept. 13. The zoo was temporarily closed twice in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened for the second time on Oct. 12 following the capital’s decision to ease restrictions. (Antara/Indrianto Eko Suwarso)
T
he operator of the Muaro Jambi Temple compound, a tourist destination in Jambi’s Muaro Jambi regency, has temporarily closed the site again for the public following the rise of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the area over the past two weeks.
The site has been closed since Oct. 6 and will remain so until Oct. 19. Previously, the temple was reopened in July, after being closed to the public for four months, tempo.co reported on Wednesday.
The closure also applies to the Muara Jambi tourism village, which is located near the temple.
At the site, the Muara Jambi village administration has put up a sign informing the public about the temporary closure to curb the coronavirus transmission.
Most shops, including bicycle rentals, were also seen to be out of business due to the closure.
The Muaro Jambi site is a Buddhist temple complex located about 26 kilometers east of the city of Jambi.
The archaeological site includes eight excavated temple sanctuaries and covers about 12 square kilometers, stretching 7.5 kilometers along the Batang Hari River. Some 80 menapos, or mounds of temple ruins, are not yet restored. It is one of the largest and best-preserved ancient temple complexes in Southeast Asia.
Read also: Govt should reassure public of health, safety to boost diving tourism: Association
As of Tuesday, Jambi has recorded 526 COVID-19 cases with 318 recoveries and 18 deaths. The regency of Muaro Jambi has logged 108 confirmed cases and 27 deaths, and 466 suspected cases.
Meanwhile, in Jakarta, Ragunan Zoo reopened again on Monday, with strict terms and conditions to comply with COVID-19 health protocol. Visitors are required to apply prior to their visit, according to the zoo’s website at ragunanzoo.jakarta.go.id.
The zoo also offers virtual tours, which helped it maintain its engagement with the public while it was physically closed in response to the pandemic.
“We’re maintaining the zoo’s virtual tour. On Sunday, we just presented the sun bears in the program,” Ragunan Zoo promotion officer Ketut Widarsana said on Tuesday as quoted by tempo.co.
The zoo’s virtual program is available on its Instagram account, @ragunanzoo, every Sunday at 10 a.m. Jakarta time. The operator has been running the virtual program since May, aiming at providing entertainment and education for the public who cannot physically visit the site during the pandemic.
Ragunan Zoo, which is located in the southern part of Jakarta, stands on a 147-hectare plot of land with at least 2,000 animals and 50,000 trees.
Over the past five years, the zoo welcomed an average of 5 million visitors per year.
According to its latest update on COVID-19, Jakarta has confirmed a total of 89,228 cases as of Tuesday, with 73,733 recoveries and 1,944 deaths. (nkn)
Editor’s note: This article is part of a public campaign by the COVID-19 task force to raise people’s awareness about the pandemic.
