Seeking Higher Status For a Bali Mountain Top

Kintamani Volanco Vying Again for UNESCO Geopark Status

(5/4/2012)

The Indonesian government is targeting the caldera area of the Batur volcano at Kintamani for Global Geopark Network Status (GGN) as part of the global UNESCO network of such parks.

As reported by Beritabali.com, the designation of the Batur Caldera as a Global Geopark Network Member is lauded as having the potential of providing a positive impact on tourist arrivals to Bali in the coming years.

The Director General for the Development of Tourist Destinations from the Ministry of Tourism and the Creative Economy, Firmansyah Rahim, told the press in Denpasar on May 1, 2012, that efforts to improve the area are underway while awaiting a final decision on Geopark status from UNESCO.

Last year the Batur Caldera region was unsuccessful in its effort to obtain GGN UNECO status. That failure was blamed on weak and poor management of the hilltop tourism destination.

Said Rahim: “In fact, we should have earned the GGN status last year. But, apparently, last year there were a number of deficiencies noted, including lapses in management, that we have now addressed.”

Source: BaliDiscovery.com