Bukittinggi not closed to tourists

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.