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