Ministry of Tourism pushes for business recovery in Sade Village following fire
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Tourism is encouraging business recovery by distributing aid to the community of Sade Hamlet, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), following a fire disaster on Saturday (22/8).
Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana stated that post-fire recovery cannot focus solely on rebuilding affected structures. The lives and livelihoods of the community must also be restored immediately.
“The physical buildings of Sade are being rebuilt through a very strong spirit of mutual cooperation (gotong royong). However, at the same time, the community’s economy must continue to move. Therefore, our Ministry of Tourism’s assistance is primarily directed towards helping residents return to work, return to production, and return to earning an income,” said Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana in an official ministry statement received on Thursday.
Support is also being provided in the form of capacity building for local guides, particularly regarding safety, information delivery during the reconstruction process, and tourism services.
The Ministry of Tourism is also supporting the promotion and relaunching of tourism activities in Sade during and after reconstruction, the compilation of product catalogues, the strengthening of Sade’s product branding, and digital marketing. The total value of this support amounts to Rp1 billion.
“We want Sade to come back to life, to welcome tourists again, and to once again be a place where the community seeks a livelihood. But most importantly, Sade must rise without losing its character and identity,” said Widiyanti.
Assistant for Economic and Development of the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government, Lalu Faozal, stated that the reconstruction process of Sade has begun, following the directives of the Minister of Tourism during the first coordination meeting after the fire.
This approach is directed so that Sade does not merely return to its previous state, but becomes more resilient to disaster risks without losing its cultural character and identity.
These recovery efforts continue the coordination undertaken by the government since late August 2026.
During her visit to Sade on 27 August 2026, the Minister of Tourism personally inspected the affected area and engaged in dialogue with the community.
The local government also emphasised that the recovery would be carried out while maintaining the cultural character of the Sasak people.
According to him, “a better Sade” does not only mean safer physical buildings, but also better destination management, ensuring that Sade remains a living space for the community as well as a sustainable cultural tourism destination.
The Chairperson of the Sade Hamlet Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), Sanah Ardinata, expressed appreciation to the Minister of Tourism for the attention provided from the onset of the disaster through to the stage of economic recovery.
“The Minister is the first central official to arrive with full attention and to discuss the fate of Sade. That alone makes us happy, as we have received the government’s attention. Today, we have received further aid so that we can conduct our businesses and the community’s economy can live again. Our joy is increasing. Matur Agung Tampi Asih,” said Sanah.
The recovery of Sade is a collaborative effort between the central government, local government, indigenous communities, and various partners. The government ensures that the community remains the primary part of this process while maintaining cultural values, local wisdom, and the authenticity of traditional Sasak architecture.