A-PAD Indonesia held kick-off meetings on April 6, 8, and 13 across three provinces to mark the launch of “Strengthening Tourism Disaster Resilience through Multi-Sector Partnership.”

The objectives of these meetings were to deepen understanding of the project goals and strategic direction for the year, and to strengthen the commitment to collaboration among stakeholders from multiple sectors.

Kick-off Meeting in West Nusa-Tenggara

In his opening remarks, Mr. Faisal Djalal, Chairperson of A-PAD Indonesia, highlighted:

“Even after experiencing the 2018 Lombok earthquake, many residents still have limited knowledge of how to handle seismic disasters, such as evacuation procedures and response measures. The importance of integrating disaster preparedness and mitigation into the tourism industry is clear. We have much to learn from the initiatives of Japan, a disaster-prone country, and we are grateful that, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, we can implement this tourism disaster management project across these three provinces to build resilience against future disasters.”

The following section outlines the messages from guests of honor in each province and provides an overview of the events.

Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara Province (April 6, 2026)

Ms. HJ Indah Damayanti Putri, SE., M.I.P (Vice Governor of West Nusa Tenggara Province):

“Disaster preparedness and mitigation must be more than just slogans. We must ensure that ordinary citizens truly acquire these skills and are capable of responding effectively. A pilot village from the West Lombok Regency has been selected to become a disaster-resilient tourism village, and I am proud that its success will be shared as a model throughout Indonesia.”

Labuan Bajo District, East Nusa Tenggara Province (April 8, 2026)

Mr. Oktavianus Andi Bona (Head of the Regional Disaster Management Agency of East Nusa Tenggara):

“In this region, the collaboration between local government, private sector, and local communities for disaster preparedness and mitigation activities is crucial. As we learn from Japan’s initiatives in tourism destinations, I hope that disaster risk management will stop being a special event for us and instead become part of our daily lives. I hope that the appeal of our tourist spots, economic benefits, and disaster preparedness activities will create synergy, ensuring that Labuan Bajo is recognized not just as a beautiful destination, but as a safe and secure place to travel.”

Karangasem Regency, Bali Province (April 13, 2026)

Mr. Ir. I Ketut Sedana Merta, ST., MT (Regional Secretary of Karangasem Regency):

“The fact that national economic losses reached 11 trillion rupiah due to the pandemic and the 2017 volcanic activity of Mount Agung underscores the need to build disaster response capabilities starting from the community level. It is vital to ensure that we are ready to take immediate action when faced with a disaster.

This pilot project by A-PAD Indonesia is for Indonesia. I hope that such initiatives will be expanded to many other villages, so that our country’s tourist destinations will be recognized for both their beauty and their strong disaster preparedness.”

Following the opening remarks, Project Manager Mr. Anton Roy Purnama outlined the project’s strategic direction, goals, and the necessity of these efforts for the coming year.

Furthermore, several high-level officials provided detailed explanations on the integration of current tourism policies with disaster mitigation and disaster preparedness activities. Each representative discussed their respective province’s ongoing tourism initiatives and future goals, emphasizing how these must align with regional safety frameworks.

Following the general session, participants were divided into groups – state government agencies, local municipal agencies, and village forums/stakeholders, to share their respective expectations and goals for the one-year project. From the perspective of multi-sectoral collaboration, participants worked to understand the viewpoints of different stakeholders. They also prioritized their goals to maximize synergies between the various sectors.

Moving forward, A-PAD will continue to deepen these multi-sectoral partnerships through activities in each province while contributing to the overall strengthening of disaster preparedness and resilience in Indonesia’s tourist destinations.

Please visit our Instagram page to see highlights from the kick-off meetings in each province

East Nusa Tenggara

West Nusa Tenggara

Bali