Regarding Foreign Tourists Acting in Bali and Ijen Crater, This is Sandiaga's Response

Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, asked all foreign tourists to comply with the regulations in force in Indonesia. This follows the deviant behaviour of foreign tourists in Bali and Ijen Crater, East Java, some time ago.

According to Sandiaga, the behaviour of tourists who replace their motorbike license plates with personal identification and do not comply with traffic rules in Bali, as well as burning flares at Ijen Crater cannot be tolerated and must be dealt with firmly.

Moreover, lighting flares carelessly at tourist destinations is a form of violation of Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning the Conservation of Natural Resources, Biology and Ecosystems.

"We are very open to receiving foreign tourists and rolling out the red carpet for them, but they must comply with all existing laws and norms", Sandiaga said at The Weekly Brief With Sandi Uno, Monday, March 6.

"We will take firm action if they break the law, we will ensure that tourists can have activities that are safe, comfortable and enjoyable", he added.

Sandiaga said that his party would amplify the rules that must be obeyed by foreign tourists. Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is working with the Provincial Government of Bali under the coordination of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) to increase outreach to foreign tourists so they understand what activities they may and may not carry out while in Indonesia.

"To overcome this problem, we must improve the implementation of control mechanisms through law enforcement. So, supervision and enforcement from the police, we also coordinate with immigration and across ministries/agencies, as well as increase supervision and control of the role of business actors towards foreign tourists and apply social sanctions.

One of the concrete steps taken by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, said Sandiaga, was by preparing a task force decree (SK) for handling the security situation and controlling the community in Bali in the context of tourist activities.

"This of course will also have an impact on quality tourism because quality tourists will also be disturbed by the behaviour of tourists who break the law", he explained.

Sandiaga reminded tour guides to be firm if foreign tourists violate applicable rules, norms and laws.

"In the future, we will continue to socialize through social media and in person, we will also supervise more closely checking climbers' luggage", he concluded.