Concerns over the potential impact of halal tourism on Bali’s tourism industry have recently resurfaced, causing anxiety among local communities and businesses. Regarding this, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ni Luh Enik Ermawati finally spoke up and apologized.
Liputan6.com reports that that the issue stems from the statement made by the woman from Bali on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, indicating that the effort to implement halal tourism in Bali might continue.
She mentioned that, at that time, there were no plans to discontinue the discourse on the halal tourism program in Bali. The apology was conveyed by the Deputy Minister of Tourism through her Instagram account, @niluhpuspa.
According to NusaBali, a member of Indonesia’s House of Representatives from Bali, I Nyoman Parta, met with Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ni Luh Enik Ernawati, better known as Ni Luh Puspa. In the meeting that took place on Friday (1/11), Parta and Ni Luh Puspa discussed the polemic of the implementation of halal tourism in Bali.
Parta revealed that after almost an hour of discussion, he concluded that the Deputy Minister of Tourism has a good understanding and a clear concept of tourism, especially regarding her firm stance towards Balinese tourism, which must be culture-based.
“The Deputy Minister has a clear stance that Bali tourism must be culture-based,” said Parta, as reported by detik.com, Saturday (2/11).
A statement regarding halal tourism in Bali had emerged after Ni Luh Puspa was said to have discussed the possibility of implementing the policy. However, Parta explained that Ni Luh Puspa clarified that her speech had been cut and not conveyed in its entirety.
“She said her speech was cut off,” said Parta, responding to the circulating issue.
Parta also mentioned that in the near future, Ni Luh Puspa will come to Bali to meet with local tourism actors. This visit is intended to delve deeper into the views of tourism actors regarding the development of this sector, as well as ensure that the policies that will be implemented are in accordance with the characteristics of Bali which is thick with local culture.
Furthermore, Parta stated that currently the Ministry of Tourism is focusing on organizational restructuring and evaluation of work programs that have been implemented in the previous period. He emphasized that the Ministry of Tourism remains committed to maintaining culture-based tourism in Bali, which is the main attraction for domestic and foreign tourists.
Liputan6com reports, on Friday, November 1, 2024, Ni Luh Puspa uploaded on her Instagram account, she wrote that Bali will remain a leading tourism destination based on cultural nobility, natural majesty, and the friendliness of its people.
And, it is appropriate that local wisdom and Balinese cultural richness must be maintained together to be an attraction for tourists to come. Building Bali into a sustainable and inclusive common home for all groups.
According to Perspectivenews, the Head of the Bali Provincial Tourism Office, Tjok Bagus Pemayun gave his response on issues related to halal tourism in Bali wisely. Pemayun said, Bali has its own cultural tourism character, namely culture-based tourism.
“Of course, we will highlight Balinese tourism through its culture, because it is in accordance with Regional Regulation No 5 in 2020 concerning Standards for the Implementation of Balinese Cultural Tourism,” explained Tjok Pemayun during Jegeg Bagus Bali 2024, Friday (1/11/2024) at the Ksirarwana Building in Denpasar.
Responding to the opinion expressed by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ni Luh Enik Ermawati, Tjok Pemayun assessed that halal tourism is more suitable to be applied in other areas such as Lombok. However, it is possible that halal tourism labels can be applied in Bali.
“But what is clear is that Bali is very open because tourism does not know the space and partitions, but we are indeed Balinese cultural tourism,” he said.
As is known, the issue of halal tourism has emerged since 2019 and was mentioned by the former Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno. However, the discourse sank in 2020 because it became a controversy in the community.
This issue became controversy again after the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ni Luh Enik Ermawati retouched on the discourse.
“So far there has been no discussion not to continue (Halal tourism in Bali),” said Ni Luh Puspa as quoted from her statement in Tempocom recently.
Sources: Perspectivenews, liputan6.com, nusabali
Image: FikriYusuf/AntaraNews
