The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Uno stated that the plan to charge an entrance ticket to Komodo Island with IDR 3.75 million and the surrounding waters had been canceled.
When the tourism business operators in Labuan Bajo heard about the plan, they immediately reacted by holding a strike as a form of protest.
The East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Provincial Government originally planned to withdraw the tickets on January 1, 2023.
“It has been decided that there will be no increase in the Komodo Island ticket… Not postponed, but withdrawn, it has been canceled,” Sandiaga said after the 2022 Wonderful Indonesia Co-Branding Awards at Balairung Soesilo Sudarman, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, December 14, 2022.
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The Decision is Good News for The Tourism Industry and Creative Economy Parties
He said the NTT government was preparing a governor’s regulation confirming the cancellation of the increase in the entrance ticket to Komodo. This decision is claimed by Sandi as good news for all tourism industry and creative economy parties.
“Not only in Manggarai, Labuan Bajo but in all areas that support ecotourism-based tourism. This indicates the government’s alignment with the revival of tourism and whilst the network has simply recovered from the pandemic, this selection is without a doubt a breath of sparkling air,” he added.” he added.
Previously, the Head of the NTT Province Tourism and Creative Economy Service, Zeth Sony Libing, insisted that he would continue to apply for the new Komodo Island entry ticket on January 1, 2023.
In fact, the Minister of Environment and Forestry (LHK) had written to the NTT government asking them to review the article in the NTT Governor’s regulation regarding the management of the Komodo National Park (TNK) area.
“The minister has no orders to cancel the tariff determination,” Zeth said, Friday, November 18, 2022.
According to Zeth, the letter relates to a memorandum of understanding between the Director General of KSDAE and the NTT Government regarding cooperation in strengthening the function of conservation areas and the sustainable conservation of living natural resources and their ecosystems in the Komodo National Park (TNK) and a cooperation agreement (PKS) between the National Park Authority. Komodo and PT Flobamor which is the reference in the Governor of NTT Regulation Number 85 of 2022. It was explained that the agreement was not a form of delegation of authority to manage conservation areas in TNK.
Current Entrance Ticket Price to Komodo Island
Currently, the price for entering Komodo National Park is based on Government Regulation Number 12 of 2014. This regulation regulates the Types and Tariffs of non-taxable government revenues applicable to the Ministry of Forestry, amounting to approximately IDR 150,000.
