Bali Governor Claims Tourism Unaffected by Mount Agung Status

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika claimed that the tourism sector in the island is not yet affected by Mount Agung activity.

“There is no sign of declining [number of tourist visits]. Despite travel warnings, hotels and Bali-bound planes remain full. Sometimes reports show that it’s scary here but I believe it’s not that bad,” Mangku Pastika told journalists at the Presidential Palace compound today, Sept. 28.

As reported earlier, the government has been preparing for a possible eruption of Mount Agung in Bali following the latest alert status declared by the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). Thousands have been evacuated to mitigate the impacts of an eruption.

Read: Bali Safe for Tourist Despite Mount Agung's Increased Actvity

Mangku Pastika went on to say that the Bali tourism is not yet affected by the situation as evidenced by the number of tourists visiting Karang Asem Regency, home to the Bali volcano Mount Agung.

Tourists, particularly those who love adventure, continue to arrive in Karang Asem to satisfy their curiosity about Mount Agung despite the warning not to approach the Bali volcano, Mangku Pastika said.

“There are actually 64 out of 70ish villages in Karang Asem that remain safe. The Regent himself is calm. The most important thing is not to approach villages around the mountain,” the Governor said.

ISTMAN MP