Tourism Minister Arief Yahaya has instructed his staff to stop promoting Tanjung Lesung and surrounding areas as tourist destinations for now, following the tsunami that hit areas close to the Sunda Straits, killing more than 280 people. The tsunami devastated the region’s tourism facilities, which is branded as one of the new Balis.

“In this emergency phase, I have instructed that all promotional activities at the destinations affected by the disaster must be stopped,” Arief said in a press statement issued on Sunday.

He also conveyed condolences on behalf of the ministry and its staff to all those who have lost loved ones in the tsunami, which was caused by an underwater landslide after Mount Anak Krakatau erupted, that hit parts of Banten and Lampung.

Arief said he was heading the ministry’s crisis center team. “The team is being activated, involving relevant units in the ministry. Today, there are already team members at the locations.”

Arief said the team’s task was to monitor conditions at three destinations -- Anyer and Tanjung Lesung beaches in Banten as well as Lampung -- and to provide services related to the tourism sector.

He added that the ministry had issued a holding statement based on information collected by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

“Currently, the team is coordinating with relevant institutions and is collecting data about the tourism ecosystem affected by the disasters at three locations, relating to three tourism aspects of accessibility, amenity and attractions,” Arief said. (bbn)