Ministry Accelerates Post-Disaster Destination Recovery in Several Regions

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta — The Ministry of Tourism is accelerating the recovery of several priority tourism destinations affected by natural disasters throughout 2026. These incidents ranged from forest fires in the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru area and earthquakes in Labuan Bajo and Flores to a fire at the Sade Traditional Village in Lombok and the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, which disrupted flights across Sumatra and Java.

In a statement received on Thursday, September 10, 2026, in Jakarta, the Deputy Minister of Tourism emphasized that tourist safety, clear information, and the accelerated recovery of destinations were the Minister's top priorities in responding to this series of disasters. One of the events that drew significant attention was the forest fire in the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru area, which forced the suspension of all tourism activities there.

The Ministry of Tourism moved quickly to coordinate with the Ministry of Forestry, as the area manager, to address the impact of the fires and ensure tourists received clear information, including refund mechanisms and rescheduling visits during the closure period. Following the completion of the response efforts, the Bromo tourism area has now reopened to the public.

Further east, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the Labuan Bajo and Flores regions, causing the temporary closure of several destinations and damaging tourist attractions, accommodations, access roads, and local tourism villages. Several scheduled tourism events had to be postponed or cancelled as a result. The Minister of Tourism personally led coordination efforts with local governments, the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority Agency, tourism associations, and industry players to formulate targeted recovery measures.

As a result, the West Manggarai Regency Government reported that tourism activities in Labuan Bajo have returned to normal, with visitor numbers remaining relatively stable following the earthquake. Komodo National Park and Padar Island, which had been temporarily closed for visitor safety, have also reopened. This suggests that several other land-based tourist attractions are still operating and that the impact has not affected the entire Flores region to the same extent.

Another incident of concern was the fire that struck the Sade Traditional Village in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. The Minister of Tourism immediately inspected the site and led a coordination meeting with stakeholders to formulate short- and long-term response measures.

Data as of August 27, 2026, indicates that the fire damaged a total of 75 dwellings, affected another 20 homes outside the Sade hamlet, and damaged 11 meeting venues and various supporting facilities, resulting in total losses amounting to IDR 33.84 billion.

For short-term recovery, the Ministry of Tourism is providing basic needs for affected residents through food and logistical assistance, public kitchens, trauma support services, technical guidance, and empowerment of local tourism awareness groups (pokdarwis). For long-term recovery, the Ministry is spearheading the formulation of a Reconstruction Master Plan for the Sade Traditional Village through an inter-ministerial and inter-agency effort involving local governments, partners, and the indigenous community; this plan includes a "one-stop" mechanism for gathering reconstruction support and the rebuilding of livable homes that preserve the character and cultural identity of the Sasak people.

Elsewhere, the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau impacted the aviation sector across Lampung, Banten, Jakarta, and West Java, resulting in the cancellation of 4,132 flights and affecting approximately 450,000 passengers. In response, the Minister urged Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) and travel bureaus to invoke force majeure clauses, ensuring full ticket refunds and allowing affected travelers to reschedule without incurring additional costs.

The Minister of Tourism stated that this series of disasters serves as a reminder of the importance of building resilience as an integral part of national tourism development, with the principle of prioritizing human safety, accelerating the recovery of destinations and community livelihoods, maintaining tourist confidence, and rebuilding more safely and resiliently.

She added that the tourism achievements recorded throughout 2026 must be sustained through collaboration among the central government, local governments, the industry, and communities, with the aim of realizing a tourism sector that is high-quality, competitive, and sustainable, while delivering broad benefits to the public through the end of the year.