BANGLI ~ Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said a recent decline of tourists was due to natural factors and did not signify that Visit Indonesia Year 2008 (VIY 2008) had failed.

“I admit, the day after we launched VIY 2008, a flooding disaster in Jakarta cut off access to the airport,” he said in a meeting with locals in Toya Bungkah, Batur.

At the meeting, locals criticized the way VIY 2008 had been implemented, but the minister said he would keep trying to make the program a success.

“The Culture and Tourism Ministry will work hard to attract as many tourists as possible to Indonesia,” he said, adding that he hoped local people would be united in supporting the program.

“If we are united, even our biggest problems can be solved,” Wacik said.