A fire at Teletubbies Hill in Mount Bromo, East Java, has severely impacted the sustainability of tourism and creative industries in the region. Furthermore, the fire damaged the ecosystem of animals and fauna around Mount Bromo, estimated more than 500 hectares.

Considering the fire incident in Mt. Bromo, all tourists should travel wisely. Wise traveling aims to promote the creation of high-quality sustainable tourism destinations.

Being aware of sustainable tourism destinations can be started by following the rules that are in force in the area or in the destination that Sobat Parekraf visits, especially when traveling to "special" destinations that are not accessible to random tourists.

Several areas in Indonesia are restricted or not allowed to be visited by tourists. This means that tourists are not allowed to visit these areas. These areas are typically nature reserves or protected forests. The ban is not without reason. Protected areas serve as a "home" for preserving plants, animals, and ecosystems. For this reason, some areas must be completely safe, secure, and guarded by all of us.

The Popularity of Traveling to Conservation Areas in Indonesia

As a reminder, sustainable tourism is developing a concept of traveling that can provide a long-term impact on tourism, whether it has a long-term effect on the environment, culture, social, and economic aspects of the local people and tourists who visit Indonesia.

Developing sustainable tourism requires environmental awareness of the destinations that are visited. In addition to maintaining order and comfort of travel, awareness of the area plays a vital role in preserving natural resources in conservation areas.

Photo: Bromo is a conservation area, tourists must take good care of it (Shutterstock/Tommy Larey)

Conservation tourism is one of the travel alternatives preferred by local and foreign tourists. According to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), as many as 5.29 million tourists visited conservation areas in Indonesia by 2022, including 5.1 million domestic and 189,000 foreign tourists. 

Despite the growing interest in visiting conservation areas, some tourists still lack understanding and awareness of these protected areas. As a result, the threat to the sustainability of the ecosystem in the area is increasing. This contradicts efforts to promote high-quality and sustainable tourism in Indonesia.

Rules for Guarding the Area in Tourist Destinations

Conservation areas have several rules that need to be obeyed by all tourists. Tourists can engage in activities such as visiting, observing, and enjoying the natural beauty and diversity of plants and animals in conservation areas.

However, before deciding to see and enjoy the natural beauty in the conservation area, tourists must report and ask permission from the area manager. Later, the area manager will provide information about the locations visitors can access and the permitted activities within the conservation area.

Tourists must understand what authorities prohibit in protected areas. Learning from the case of a pre-wedding photo in the Mount Bromo area, it is strongly discouraged to light fireworks or other objects that can cause sparks. 

Furthermore, ensure that flash photography is not used when capturing images in protected areas. The reason is that the flashlight makes the wild animals uncomfortable, causing stress and aggression. Last but not least, it is also forbidden to smoke, touch the animals, and remove or damage anything inside the protected area.

Are you ready to be a savvy traveler who is aware of the tourist area, Sob?

Cover: The beauty of Bromo conservation area (Shutterstock/Nitish Waila)