(12/24/2017)
The Indonesia Minister of Tourism, Arief Yahya, is voicing criticism of the Bali Hotel industry’s response during the ongoing eruption of the Mount Agung volcano.
An eruption in late November caused a 2.5-day closure of Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport and precipitated a dramatic downturn in tourist arrivals when the Airport resumed operations.
Quoted by Kompas.com, Minister Yahya said on December 21, 2017: "I was angry at that time with Pak Pitana (Deputy Minister for Marketing) regarding hotel discounts. With Mount Agung in Bali in that condition the hotel were still cheap about providing a discount.”
The Minister was disgruntled that hotels in Bali during a time of a sudden business downturn were only prepared to extend 20% discounts. Arief claimed that if hotels in Bali provide large discounts they will automatically reap many customers. Adding: “The more you give, the more you get. Just Google it, for example, the more will be provided for us. I also criticized all the hotels who didn’t give away free rooms when the airport was closed.”
Earlier Yahya had instructed hotel to give compensation and discounts to tourists stranded in Bali when the Airport was closed.
When the Airport was closed several hotels provided free accommodation.
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