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Jakarta air pollution may cast a shadow over sports tourism
As Greater Jakarta struggles to curb its perennial air pollution, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry has called for a swift solution to combat the risk that upcoming sports events in the capital will face a slump in interest, particularly as the FIBA Basketball World Cup draws near.
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In this photo taken on August 9, 2023, buildings in Jakarta are seen surrounded by haze caused by air pollution. (AFP/Yasuyoshi Chiba)
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s Greater Jakarta struggles to curb its perennial air pollution, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry has called for a swift solution to combat the risk that upcoming sports events in the capital will face a slump in interest, particularly as the FIBA Basketball World Cup draws near.
Over the past few weeks, residents of the capital and its satellite cities have bemoaned the worsening air quality, as Jakarta, notorious for its traffic congestion and overly packed neighborhoods, has topped Swiss company IQAir's ranking of the world’s most polluted major cities for almost a week since Aug. 7.
To this end, Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno warned that Jakarta’s pollution, aside from posing obvious health risks to local residents, could also threaten the success of upcoming sports events.
“In terms of tourism, there have already been a couple of events that have been impacted by [Jakarta’s air pollution],” Sandiaga said at the Presidential Palace after a meeting convened by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Monday to discuss strategies to tackle pollution, Kompas.com reported.
