Now Indonesia wants tsunami tourism
JAKARTA: A curious story in the online Bali Update which runs an item from the Indonesian language website Bisnis.com, in which Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono calls on the Department of Culture and Tourism to optimise their work, be smarter and more creative in developing national tourism.
The President is reported to have told a meeting of tourism leaders, “In fact volcanoes, areas of national disaster, mud volcanoes, earthquake zones and tsunami affected areas all have the potential to become tourist attractions.”
“This is not ‘disaster tourism,’ but Indonesia’s geology which is presented for tourism,” said the President. “If thousands of people come to see the colours of our volcanic crater lakes, that is not a problem. Let’s be smart, creative and innovative.”
The President also urged the Department of Culture and Tourism not to be embarrassed to learn about tourism marketing from other countries.
At a time when the Department of Culture and Tourism claims it is seriously under-funded for marketing Visit Indonesian Year 2008, some might find it odd for Indonesia to be promoting earthquake zones and tsunami areas when it has so much more going for it.
Still in Indonesia, National Transportation Safety Committee chairman Tatang Kurniadi told Australia’s Nine Network’s Sunday programme that he was worried the crash involving Garuda flight 200 stemmed from the absent-mindedness of the pilots.
Twenty-one people, including five Australians, died when the plane overshot the runway and burst into flames at Yogyakarta in Indonesia on March 7.
Asked whether there was evidence from the cockpit voice recorder about what happened between the two pilots, Kurniardi said: “Yes, there was some argumentation between the co-pilot and the pilot and captain relating with the speed and flaps.”
He said he believed the first officer had wanted the captain to abort the landing and go around.
A preliminary report on the crash is expected soon.
Ian Jarrett
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