Jakarta. The Tourism Ministry has launched a travel package covering the less-explored northern and western parts of Bali and nearby Banyuwangi Regency to encourage a more equitable distribution of tourists across the resort island and its surroundings. This package aims to address the imbalance of tourists, which has been concentrated in the southern part of Bali.

The so-called 3B package offers a variety of natural, cultural, and man-made attractions, such as Pemuteran Village, Les Village, Lovina, and West Bali National Park, as well as destinations in Banyuwangi like Ijen Crater and G-Land.

"In September 2024, we collaborated with regional governments and relevant stakeholders to launch the 3B tourism package, namely Banyuwangi-West Bali-North Bali, which is expected to enrich tourists' destination choices," Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said recently.

This initiative is being carried out in collaboration with local governments and stakeholders to enrich tourist destination options and support the development of more sustainable tourism, she added. The Tourism Ministry is also inviting the media to directly cover the destinations in North Bali to promote the region more widely.

"We are optimistic that these steps will reduce the imbalance in tourist distribution and encourage the development of more sustainable tourism in Bali, benefiting the local communities," she said.

Hariyanto, the Vice Minister for Tourist Destination and Infrastructure Development, said the ministry will continue to develop other destinations in Indonesia, such as Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Borobudur Temple in Central Java, and Labuan Bajo Coast in East Nusa Tenggara. 

He said cross-institution coordination will be carried out to deal with tourists who violate laws, norms, and customs, as well as those who misuse visas.

Additionally, the ministry is enforcing environmental regulations and educating tourists to respect local cultures and preserve Bali's nature.