Keep beaches clean, guides say

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Tourist guides on Lombok island said the tourist authorities should strive to clean the Senggigi beach if they want to draw more visitors to the area.

"Unless they pay more attention to the security and sanitation aspects of Senggigi and other beaches in West Nusa Tenggara, we fear the number of tourists visiting the province will decline," Robby G. Anthonyzs, the chairman of the province's Association of Tourist Guides, told Antara.

"Senggigi is the trademark of the province's tourism. Security and sanitation there should be improved," he said.

Tourists going to the province usually first visit Senggigi before going on to other sites such as the Gili islands, and Kuta in Central Lombok, he said.

He said Lombok, the main island in the province, should not repeat the development mistakes made by Kuta beach resort on Bali. (emb)