Bukittinggi not closed to tourists

JAKARTA (JP): The information officer of West Sumatra, Yohannes Dahlan, denied on Friday reports that Bukittinggi was closed to foreigners.

The province is secure and orderly, "and ready to receive tourists at any time," Yohannes said.

The Jakarta Post reported on Wednesday that the town had been closed to tourists after the provincial government deemed it too unsightly following a number of recent fires.

Another newspaper said officials were urged not to take foreign guests to the town because it was still in a state of disrepair.

Three major fires this year have gutted much of the commercial district of the town which is West Sumatra's leading tourist destination.

Yohannes said journalists were seeking confirmation of the the change of venue for a trade meeting of the Indonesia-Malaysia-Singapore Growth Triangle. He had told them, among other things, that the event scheduled to take place next week had been moved from Bukittingi to Padang.

This was because the town was not ready yet because of the recent fires.