TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said that there is no over-tourism in Bali despite the island being one of the most popular tourist destinations in Indonesia.
"If we see the island as a whole, there is no overtourism [as the issue is] only in southern Bali," he explained at a ministry gathering in Jakarta on Friday, April 19.
Since everything is centered only at Nusa Dua and South Bali, the carrying capacity has been burdened significantly, the minister added.
He said that some regions on Bali Island have the potential to be developed as eco-tourism destinations.
New tourism developments on the island would help distribute tourists away from South Bali and Nusa Dua and alleviate their burden, he explained.
The ministry will carry out measures to ensure that tourists coming to Bali are distributed more evenly in the western, northern, and eastern parts of the island.
"Therefore, the (tourist) burden will not be confined only to South Bali," Uno stated.
The minister added that promoting tourist destinations located in other parts of Bali Island to domestic and foreign tourists would be a challenge, especially as Badung District and Denpasar City remain attractive choices.
He highlighted the need for infrastructure and accessibility readiness to encourage more tourists to explore other parts of the island.
"We will manage the attraction aspect by organizing events to promote natural, artificial, and cultural attractions," Sandiaga said. The ministry will also devise new promotions to attract more tourists to other parts of Bali.
He noted that the Banyuwangi-West Bali travel promotion has attracted more tourists to West Bali by crossing the Bali Strait from Banyuwangi in East Java.
ANTARA
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