Words and images of Covid-19 prevention (A case study of tourism new normal protocols signs)

Abstract

Covid-19 is a global pandemic that changed people perspective in everyday life, either in personal activities or public activities. Covid-19 had caused an economic crisis all over the world, including in Indonesia. In order to support business and commerce sustainability in this pandemic situation, the government, through the Health Department, had issued a circular letter No. HK.02.01/MENKES/335/2020 about Covid-19 prevention in the commercial sector known as New Normal protocol. The tourism industry is one of the most devastated by Covid-19. The tourism industry must adapt to this new normal life by implementing the new standard protocol in running its business. This study aimed to analyse the meaning of the new normal protocol signs at Rabasta @Kuta Hotel in Kuta. The result showed many new normal signs found in every public or strategic area of the hotel. The placement of the signs highly influences the visualisation of the signs. For instance, there is a sign next to a washbasin at the hotel’s front gate with a clear statement that directed all guests to wash their hands before entering the hotel area. Another sign is placed in a public area showed a neutral standard operational procedure notice of Covid-19 prevention. In terms of composition meaning, those signs showed an ideal and real value of new normal practices. The salience is about personal and environmental hygiene to stop the spread of Covid-19 with either linear or nonlinear framing to the extent of the desired meaning.