TEMPO.CO, Karanganyar -  Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno stated that the fire at Teletubbies Hill in Mount Bromo National Park, East Java, had hit the tourism industry hard. One of the effects could be seen in the drop in the hotel occupancy rate in the tourist area.

“We are very concerned about what happened in Bromo as it causes negative impacts,” he told journalists after a Creative Words Workshop event in Karanganyar Regency, Central Java, on Thursday, September 14, 2023.

After the massive blaze burned the Mount Bromo area, Sandiaga said the hotel occupancy rate dropped to 80 percent. This means that the hotel occupancy rate which was originally fully booked or 100 percent has now fallen to just 20 percent.

On this basis, he urged all national parks to conduct studies focusing on visitor safety in order to achieve a sustainable tourism sector.

Sandiaga also expected severe sanctions against those who sparked the fire, hoping that the penalty would have a deterrent effect. 

“The punishment must be just because many people are affected, especially economic actors,” he emphasized.

In addition, Sandiaga Uno underlined that a comprehensive evaluation of nature-based tourist attractions is crucial to ensure that they comply with the CHSE (cleanliness, health, safety, and environmental sustainability) protocol.

As previously reported, a massive fire tore through Teletubbies Hill in the Mount Bromo National Park area, East Java. The blaze was allegedly sparked by the use of flares by visitors during their pre-wedding photoshoot on Wednesday, September 6, 2023.

SEPTIA RYANTHIE

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