Hallo Sobat Travela, apa kabar awal pekan ini? Well, kali ini Gotravela Indonesia akan kembali hadirkan info dari Pulau Komodo. Ya, dampak kenaikan tiket P.Komodo, lebih 10ribu turis batal ke Labuhan Bajo.
Impact of Ticket Increase
CNN Indonesia published a news report (2/8/2022) that the head of the local Indonesian Travel Agent Association (Astindo) Ignasius Suradin said that more than 10 thousand domestic and foreign tourists had canceled their visits to Labuan Bajo. This is the impact of the increase in P. Komodo tickets.
As has been widely reported before, the government has increased the Komodo National Park ticket to IDR 3,75 million for Komodo Island and Padar Island as of August 1, 2022. Rinca Island, Travela buddy charged Rp 150 thousand.
Losses estimated at IDR 1 T
The impact of the increase in tickets to Komodo Island has caused potential losses in the tourism industry to reach Rp. 1 trillion. This estimated loss figure comes from the tourism industry players, both hotels, tourist ships and travel agents. One of the losses felt by five-star hotels in the area, which had to lose 600 rooms. Losses were also experienced from the cancellation of tours from travel agents, ships, as well as other hotels which were not small in number.
Ignasius revealed that the increase in the entry ticket for Komodo Island had an impact on all other destinations in Labuhan Bajo and even the entire Flores area. This is because tourists who come can tell their acquaintances both in Indonesia and abroad not to come to Labuhan Bajo. “It could be that Labuan Bajo is being punished by potential tourists. This means that they will cross out Labuan Bajo tourism from their vacation list," he added.
See also: Foreign Tourists in Bali Increase, Dominated from Australia
Bad impact on tourism
Realizing this, he also hopes that the issue of increasing P. Komodo tickets should not be discussed and detained for a while. The goal is that this problem does not spread and has a bad impact on tourism in Labuhan Bajo.
The conservation aspect is the reason behind the enactment of the P. Komodo ticket increase. “The impact to be achieved is the restriction to Komodo Island and Padar Island for conservation access. So conservation and the economy must go hand in hand, one of which is by restricting visitors," he said Sandiaga Uno in the Weekly Press Briefing, Monday, July 25, 2022, as reported by Liputan6.com.
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Ticket Increase Protest
However, the decision to increase Komodo National Park tickets, which began to be implemented on August 1, has drawn contra from a number of parties. The Association of Tourist Actors and Individual Tourism Actors in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, NTT, has rejected the increase in Komodo National Park tickets by holding a strike to serve tourists. The increase in tariffs also makes foreign tourists complain. “We just arrived in Labuan Bajo and wanted to go to Rinca because we couldn't go to Komodo Island. Tickets are too expensive. That's why many friends who want to come here can't come because it's too expensive,” said French tourist Pierre at Komodo Airport, NTT, Tuesday (2/8/2022) as reported by Kompas.com. (y)