By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar
JAKARTA, Aug 12 (Bernama) — The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has intensified its efforts to promote a more balanced distribution of tourists across Bali due to concerns over overcrowding in the holiday island’s southern regions, which has led to overtourism.
During the first half of 2024, Bali welcomed 2,911,135 foreign tourists, accounting for 45.39 per cent of the 6,413,201 total visits to Indonesia, according to Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno.
“However, the majority of tourists remain concentrated in South Bali, adding to overtourism issues that have attracted both national and international media attention,” he said at an event titled ‘Collaboration between Media and Local Government in Enhancing Promotion of Quality Tourism Destinations’.
The event was held at the Buleleng District Head Office and was part of a three-day press tour programme organised by the ministry’s communications bureau and the Buleleng Tourism Office.
To address these issues, Sandiaga announced a tourist package that takes visitors from Pemuteran in North Bali to Ijen Crater Natural Park and Bromo Volcano in East Java, before returning to Pemuteran.
The package, designed to encourage tourists to explore less-visited areas, is expected to attract 24,000 visitors to North Bali and has a potential value of 1.2 billion rupiah, which is about US$75,000.
Pemuteran, a village in the Gerokgak sub-district of Buleleng, is a hidden gem that offers stunning marine life for snorkelling and diving, turtle conservation programmes, beautiful beaches and village views.
Sandiaga pointed out that the ministry had also launched a training programme to improve marine tourism, including a diving safety course led by experts from Divers Alert Network and The National Association of Underwater Instructors.
In the meantime, it is promoting tourist villages, with Pemuteran being a notable example as it won several international awards, including the ASEAN Tourism Standard and United Nations Development Programme awards for community-based and coastal zone management.
The press tour programme, which wrapped up on Sunday in North Bali, involved local and international media and was timed to coincide with the Lovina Festival 2024, set to run from August 23 to 25 at Lovina Beach, known for its black sand and dolphin attractions.
— BERNAMA
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