Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said eight out of ten new tourism destinations or known as New Bali initiated by the government were located in earthquake-prone regions.
The eight destinations are Borobudur Temple, Central Java; Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara; Bromo, East Java; Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi; Mandalika, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara; Lake Toba, North Sumatra; Morotai, North Maluku; and Tanjung Lesung, Banten.
"Ten tourism destinations [New Bali] are prone to disaster, as well as earthquake except for Bangka Belitung and Seribu Islands," said Sutopo in Sari Pan Pasifik Hotel, Central Jakarta, October 24.
According to Sutopo, the quake vulnerability regions did not mean that it could not be promoted as tourist spots. The government, particularly Tourism Ministry, was required to coordinate with BNPB to list disaster mitigation points in the draft of 10 New Bali development plan.
Sutopo admitted no synergy made with the ministry thus far related to the disaster mitigation in those areas. "We have also just known about the 10 New Bali," he said. However, the agency had disseminated pre-disaster measures in those regions.
He further stressed mitigation plans in the tourism priority areas must be taken seriously considering the lives of the locals and domestic or foreign tourists were on the stake.
Sutopo suggested the disaster mitigation plan handled by BNPB, instead of Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPDB) in a bid to form more serious communication between the Tourism Ministry and the agency.
Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya claimed to have earmarked disaster special fund worth Rp100 billion in the 2018 State Budget (APBN) and that had been allocated in the draft of State Budget (RAPBN).