“First, West Sumatra is mapping the tourism destinations affected by the disaster,” said Deputy Governor of West Sumatra, Vasko Ruseimy, in Padang on Thursday.
He made the statement when he was receiving the delegation from the House of Representatives (DPR), Tourism Ministry, Industry Ministry, Creative Economy Ministry, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Ministry, ANTARA, RRI, and TVRI.
Ruseimy said the mapping of tourism destinations is to ensure that objects or locations are safe for tourists to visit after the disaster and also aims to provide a sense of security for every tourist visiting the province.
The second step taken by the provincial government is crisis management and safety education. The Tourism Office and tourism awareness groups are also strengthening communication on disaster management and risks to tourists, including marking safe zones and safety standards.
"The third step taken by the West Sumatra Provincial Government is volunteer tourism," he said.
Ruseimy explained that the concept of social tourism, or volunteer tourism, was introduced as part of post-disaster recovery efforts, allowing tourists to participate in recovery activities while visiting.
Last, he said, the local government inputted data into the Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Plan (R3P) document. The R3P application serves as the official database for recovery program planning, aid distribution, and synchronization of central and regional support.
In general, the disaster that struck West Sumatra affected 67 tourist destinations, spread across districts and cities such as Solok, Tanah Datar, Padang Pariaman, Agam, Padang City, Pariaman City, Limapuluh Kota, Padang Panjang City, and Pesisir Selatan.
Ruseimy explained that the affected destinations included 14 homestays, with total damage reaching Rp45.5 billion, total losses of Rp16.7 billion, and an affected area of 983,238 square meters.
He hopes that the specific working visit by members of the House of Representatives (DPR) and related partners can help accelerate the recovery of the tourism sector in the region, considering that the region is a national and international tourist destination.
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Translator: Muhammad Zulfikar, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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