T

he Karo regency administration in North Sumatra plans to officially turn several locations already used by residents and foreigners to observe Mount Sinabung'€™s activity into new tourist sites.

The sites are located in the Gamber and Tiga Kiket villages in Naman Teran district, and the Tiga Pancur and Sibintun villages in Simpang Empat district. They are outside the 5-kilometer radius of Mt. Sinabung'€™s peak.

Karo Tourism Agency head Dinasty Sitepu said his office had conducted a survey on several of
the sites.

Dinasty added they would be proposed to the local legislature and regent so they could be confirmed as tourist sites in Karo.

According to him, the locations were suitable given that they were home to beautiful panoramas and were often visited by visitors wanting to watch Mt. Sinabung erupt.

'€œThe locations are often visited by local and foreign visitors interested in Sinabung'€™s activity. The locations are both beautiful and safe,'€ he told The Jakarta Post after visiting some of the locations in Karo on Tuesday.

Dinasty said the idea to create the tourist sites was motivated by the enthusiasm of tourists who had headed there. He added that some tourists had visited the sites almost every day during their stay.

'€œThe eruption of Mt. Sinabung is a blessing in disguise. Many come here just to see it and they aren'€™t afraid,'€ said Dinasty.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Restaurant and Hotels Association (PHRI) Karo chapter head Edy Sofyan, who joined a tour to several of the new sites, said he strongly supported the steps taken by the Karo regency administration to classify four locations around the mountain as tourist areas, to eliminate fear surrounding Mt. Sinabung'€™s eruptions.

'€œThe move should be supported to prove that people don'€™t have to be afraid, but its good to be cautious,'€ said Edy, adding that recently his colleagues from Malaysia were afraid to go to Berastagi as they feared a large Mt. Sinabung eruption.

Edy said that so far, the potential of many tourist sites in Karo remained untapped, despite having great potential.

He pointed to the site in Tiga Pancur village, which he said had been largely ignored despite it being home to some beautiful views.

Edy added that despite being separated by a very deep gorge, visitors could even view the volcano'€™s crater from this village.

Karo acting regent Terkelin Brahmana said he supported the proposal to establish the new sites.

'€œI support the idea because it can generate income for Karo regency,'€ Terkelin told the Post.

He said that before submitting the proposal to him and the local legislature, the tourist sites should be thoroughly surveyed, with special attention given to visitor safety as the sites were located close to Mt. Sinabung.

On Tuesday, Mt. Sinabung was still erupting and emitting pyroclastic flows that reached as far as 3,500 meters to the south.

It also emitted volcanic ash, covering the area in fog.