6th September – Foreign tourists visiting Labuan Bajo, West Maggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) increase on August 2022. The Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Office of West Maggarai Regency, Pius Baut confirmed that the total of foreigners reach 12,041 people.
The number increased from the previous month, July 2022, with 10,438 foreigners recorded visiting Labuan Bajo.
However, the number of domestic tourists to Labuan Bajo has decreased from 15,332 tourists in July to 7,169 tourists in August.
Additionally, the total number of tourists visiting Labuan Bajo has decreased from the previous month. On July 2022, a total of 25,770 tourists were recorded while 19,210 tourists were recorded in August.
On the bright side, the number of foreigners visiting Labuan Bajo from January to August has relatively increased. Baut hopes that the number increases in September.
He also added that the reason for the sudden decrease in tourists in Labuan Bajo is the ticket price hike issue to Komodo National Park.
As previously mentioned, the entrance fee to Komodo National Park was initially risen to IDR 3,75 million as of August 2022. The new price is valid to enter Komodo Island, Padar Island, and the surrounding areas.
However, the entrance fee to the Komodo Island hike is postponed to January 2023.
“This has accommodated the aspirations of the public that there is a new tariff dispensation on Padar Komodo will be postponed to 1st January 2023,” said Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno.
Other than the entrance fee price issue, another reason is also the expensive plane tickets.
Baut has coordinated with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf) and also other stakeholders to tackle this issue.
He also hopes that the price of plane tickets to Labuan Bajo will decrease on September 2022 and the flow of tourists to the island is back as busy as before.
“We will continue to aggressively promote Labuan Bajo internationally,” said Baut.
