Indonesia Accelerates Tourism Recovery After Environmental Disasters

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Tourism destinations across Indonesia are actively recovering and restoring normal operations following recent environmental disasters, supported by inter-agency emergency management and destination rehabilitation.

In Labuan Bajo and the surrounding Flores region in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), tourism activities have resumed following a magnitude 7.7 earthquake that affected local accommodations, accessibility, and village destinations. West Manggarai regional authorities confirmed that visitor flows remain stable, with major attractions including Komodo National Park and Padar Island reopened following temporary safety closures.

In the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru area in East Java, destination managers and forestry officials are regulating site access following recent wildfire closures while establishing ticket refund and rescheduling options for affected travelers.

In Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, recovery efforts are focused on Sade Traditional Village after an August 22 fire damaged 75 traditional homes and 11 community meeting structures, causing an estimated IDR 33.84 billion (USD 1.92 million) in losses. Short-term relief including public kitchens, food supplies, and trauma healing is currently being implemented, alongside a long-term Master Plan for Reconstruction designed to rebuild housing while preserving traditional Sasak cultural heritage.

Concurrently, regional transport networks are managing the impacts of Mount Anak Krakatau's eruption, which caused 4,132 flight cancellations and affected 450,000 passengers across Lampung, Banten, Jakarta, and West Java. Travel agencies and online booking platforms have been instructed to apply force majeure terms, granting 100 percent ticket refunds and fee-free rebookings.

Ministry of Tourism leadership emphasized that protecting lives, supporting local livelihoods, and maintaining clear communication remain fundamental to sustaining tourist confidence during environmental emergencies.

"For us, the principle is clear: protect human lives first, accelerate the recovery of destinations and community livelihoods, maintain tourist confidence, and rebuild back safer and more resilient, most importantly, the reconstruction process for Sade Village (in Lombok) must be conducted hand-in-hand with the local community and stakeholders to preserve the distinct cultural character and identity of the Sasak people," Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said in Jakarta on Friday, September 11, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Deputy Tourism Minister Ni Luh Puspa reinforced the priority placed on visitor safety and ongoing environmental risk management. "Tourist safety, clear information dissemination, and accelerated destination recovery are our highest priorities, cross-ministerial coordination and destination management collaboration must be continuously strengthened, especially regarding wildfire mitigation and risk management during the dry season," she added. ***