The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted industries worldwide, with tourism hit particularly hard.
Indonesia, specifically Bali, relies upon retail, hospitality, and tourism to sustain its economy. Since the pandemic took hold, many countries, including Australia, put a nationwide ban on international travel.
The number of Indonesians living below the poverty line has now risen to approximately 26.42 million. According to Statistics Indonesia, an additional 1.63 million people recently fell below the poverty line, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
General Manager of The Trans Resort Bali, Alexander Jovanovic, is originally from Adelaide but has called Bali home for over ten years.
Alex boasts a long history in managing award-winning hospitality venues but nothing could have prepared the veteran for the COVID-19 crisis, and what it has meant for his staff, who rely on their wage to survive.
“Everything is reliant on retail, tourism, and hospitality,” says Alex.
Before COVID-19, The Trans Resort Bali had 450 employees. Now, it has 180.
“The release of employees has not been through termination as this applies for employees engaged on a contract basis,” says Alex.
“Unfortunately, each month, further team members end their contracts and are therefore released with the understanding that as soon as business levels return to normal, they will be the first to return,” he says.
The unemployed in Indonesia are not provided with government support, and Alex has watched the staff he has had to let go struggle financially.
Early on, he and his Personal Assistant Yohana Valentina decided something needed to be done.
“Many of our guests who stay at The Trans are Aussies, approximately 65% of the total guest mix, and most of them are regular repeaters who often come and stay with us every year,” says Alex.
“They have a very special bond with most of our employees, as most of our employees have been working at The Trans since we opened five years ago.
“Different groups of people around Australia have gotten together to raise money and send it to us to support the staff we have had to let go.”
Yohana works through the list of now unemployed ex-staff, distributing $50 to each employee.
“Usually we go to them, even if we need to travel to some of the more remote areas of Bali such as Tabanan and Klungkung villages, so we know exactly their conditions, and if their house is difficult to reach, we invite them to come to the hotel to collect the donations,” says Alex.
He says the money has been imperative in helping the ex-staff members with food and basic necessities, as well as unpaid leave.
COVID-19 has reached all 34 provinces in Indonesia, and the fight, both medically and economically, is far from over.
Testing rates in Indonesia are low, and accurate data about the actual transmission of COVID-19 is thereby unclear.
Alex and Yohana are desperate, as are his ex-staff.
“Since May, when we started this staff hardship donation initiative, we identified 12 employees who were struggling with basic requirements to support themselves and/or their families,” says Alex.
“Sadly, as the months progressed, more employees started to fit into this ‘hardship’ category.
“Today, we have 58 employees who receive ongoing donation support money, with a total of Rupia 31mio (or AUD $3,200) distributed from the generous support of our Australian regular repeat guests.”
Alex is pleading for those who’ve visited before, and wish to again, to donate to the cause, to help ease the way forward for the people of Bali.
Alex and the Trans Resort team have set up a GoGetFunding online fundraising campaign, as well as a blog page to help raise money and awareness.
According to Alex, the best way to donate is to email him advising your donation amount. You will then receive a link to insert credit card details. A surcharge of 2.5% will be taken from the donation amount.
Alex’s email is [email protected].
Read more about The Trans Resort Bali here.
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