Despite the ongoing threat of a volcanic eruption from Mount Agung, Bali is still worth visiting, with 98 percent of Bali’s tourist attractions safely out of the danger zone.
The stat comes from the Bali Tourism Board, which is fighting the good fight to convince holiday-makers to still come to Bali. Agung, located in Karangasem, about 75 kilometers from Kuta, has been on the highest alert for an eruption since Sept. 22.
Approximately 70,000 travelers will cancel their trips to Bali between October and November this year, because of the looming eruption threat, estimates the Bali Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI).
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But with tourism being Bali’s biggest industry, officials are reiterating again and again that outside of the nine to 12 kilometer exclusion zone, set from the volcano’s crater, the rest of the island remains safe for tourists and would not be affected. That is, other than the possibility of winds carrying ash towards the airport and messing with flights, which has happened in Bali over the past several years thanks to eruptions from both east and west: from East Java’s Raung and from Lombok’s Mount Rinjani.
“According to information from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, 98 percent of the tourist areas remain safe in Bali, even if Mount Agung erupts,” Dewa Gede Ngurah Byomantara, head of the Boards Bali Tourism Hospitality Division 3, said on Wednesday.
Come a volcanic eruption, only two percent of Bali’s tourist attractions would be affected, including Besakih, Tulamben, and Tirta Gangga, according to Byomantara.
“Kuta, Ubud, Nusa Dua, and Sanur are located far from Mount Agung. Until now, we believe that the area beyond 12 kilometers from Mount Agungs crater remains safe,” he added.
Indonesia’s Tourism Minister Arief Yahya has been promoting a similar message.
“Bali remains safe for tourist visits by both domestic and foreign travelers. We have taken various anticipatory measures and are well prepared in case of an eruption,” Yahya said on Oct. 5.
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