Shopping center, or well known as mall, is one of public's favorite destinations for getting their needs or just for hanging out with family or friends. Entering transition phase between pandemic to epidemic, the public activity restrictions are loosen up gradually - along with activities coming back to normal. It also happens in mall, where visitors are increasing due to the need of direct socialization. Even so, it is hoped that mall visitors still obey applied regulations, so everyone's safety and comfort are kept maintained.
Alphonzus Widjaja as Chairman of Indonesia Shopping Centers Management Association (APPBI) expressed, “Business sector welcomes happily the restrictions loosening up from the government, such as wearing mask for outdoor activities is no longer a must. It is because COVID-19 has been under control due to the high vaccination rate on public, either full vaccination comprising doses one and two, or completed with third dose or booster. Not just adults, teenagers and kids have also been vaccinated, making mall traffic becomes higher because visitors often come as families.
Alphonzus added that malls as public facilities had been used to health protocols, even became pilot project for the use of Pedulilindungi mobile app - before applied to offices and vacations. Only mobile app users with green status - indicating full vaccination recipients may enter the malls. Plus body temperature check, masks using, handwash facility, hand sanitizer, etc. making malls can only be visited by visitors who fulfill health requirements. There are also people who tend to avoid malls that don't comply with health protocols, and choose malls with great application of health protocols instead.
Completing Alphonzus' saying, from mall management perspective, Adrian Pranata as General Manager of Living World Alam Sutera said, “People start to allocate more time in the mall. While in pandemic they only spent time one hour in the mall, in transition phase it becomes two or three hours. They dare to do so, because they've been vaccinated in full dose, also they see that the mall is still consistent in applying health protocols. About vaccination, not only visitors, employees from mall management and tenants have also been fully vaccinated. Mall also adds more officers that oversee the protocol application. Since 2021, Living World in various occasions also holds vaccination program serving visitors and public nearby, in cooperation with the government health service and hospitals. To date, the amount of people vaccinated reaches over 28,000 persons.”
Alphonzus and Adrian summarized that there is no need for public to worry in visiting malls, but they have to obey health protocols. Along with business activities which are going back to normal – in accordance with the recent situation, economy is hoped to be recovered soon.
Kawan Lama Group in business pillar of Property & Hospitality presents Living World and Living Plaza shopping centers. Living World with concept “Home Living, Lifestyle & Eat-ertainment” offers shopping experience for the most complete home improvement and lifestyle products, also various tasty culinary and great events. The first Living World started operation at Alam Sutera, Tangerang in 2011, and the second was opened in Pekanbaru, Riau in 2018, followed by the next locations in Denpasar Bali, then Cibubur, and Bekasi. Also there is Living Plaza, shopping center that presents complete home improvement and lifestyle needs under one roof, carrying slogan “One Stop Shopping for Home Furnishing & Lifestyle”. Inside Living Plaza there are various famous retail stores of Kawan Lama Group such as ACE, INFORMA, Toys Kingdom, and Chatime. Recently there are 24 Living Plazas spread over various big cities in Indonesia.
Complete information can be found at Instagram Live titled "Nge-Mall Aman dan Nyaman di Masa Transisi (Safe and Comfortable in the Mall in Transition Phase)" held by Kawan Lama Group at 25 May 2022.
