Indonesian Tourism Minister supports strict immigration measures against unacceptable tourists in Bali

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno has expressed his support for immigration authorities to take decisive action against undesirable tourists in Bali.

“We must remain firm. We have provided quality tourism, so tourists must also appreciate the cultural wisdom and preservation of traditions and arts in Bali,” he said during his visit to the Pengambengan Archipelago (PPN) Fishing Port in Jembarana District on Saturday, July 13, 2024.

He added that a clear message must be sent to tourists: “They can travel, but they must comply with the laws and regulations, violation of which will result in legal action.”

Regarding enforcement, he praised immigration authorities for their quick action against foreign tourists who violate the rules.

“Tourists who come to Indonesia have to adapt to their goals. If they deviate from their goals, for example, to work here, they have to be taken care of,” he said.

In addition to tourists’ disregard for laws and regulations, he also warned of the negative effects of overtourism.

He cited the example of Barcelona, ​​where locals recently used water pistols against tourists because they felt uncomfortable in their presence.

“Something like this should not happen in Bali. Because people feel uncomfortable in the presence of tourists, terrible excesses occur. Moreover, tourism is one of the engines of the economy,” he said.

According to him, for tourism to run smoothly, a balance must be found between the interests of tourists and the comfort of local communities. This also applies to the spread of tourist destinations so that tourists are not concentrated in just one area.

He addressed the issue of a more equitable distribution of tourist destinations, saying that one of the objectives of the construction of the Probowangi toll road in East Java province and the Mengwi-Gilimanuk toll road was to ensure a more equitable distribution of tourist destinations.

“So tourists are not only focusing on South Bali, but also on West Bali, which can be connected to Banyuwangi,” he added.

He said that since the distance from Mengwi to Gilimanuk is 1.5 to 2 hours, he was optimistic that foreign tourists would be interested in visiting the West Bali region.

ANTARA

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