Minister says traveling in RI safe

Minister says traveling in RI safe

MEDAN, North Sumatra: State Minister of Tourism and Culture I
Gde Ardhika told the general public on Monday not to worry about
traveling or visiting tourism sites following the terrorist
attack in Bali.

"(If we're afraid), we will be perceived as acknowledging (the
terrorists') success. But, if we show otherwise, like now with
the visit of Malaysian and Thai people to Indonesia or vice
versa, the terrorists will automatically lose," he said during
the opening of the 2002 IMT-GT Travel Fair, which involves the
three neighboring countries.

He underlined that the country would not give up on its
tourism, which now was being bombarded with security fears, as
Bali was one of the foremost tourist destinations in the world.

Ardhika expressed optimism that as long as Indonesian tourism
industry held on to its commitment of promoting humanity, the
industry would soon recover.--JP