10th October 2022 – Tourism in Flores has been rising up to October 2022, post-Covid-19. The revitalization of tourist attractions, culinary businesses, and coffee shop businesses along Transflores Street has become prominent. International and domestic tourists alike are seen on the island due to the intense promotion of tourist attractions on social media.
During July-August 2022, exploring the road on the North Coast was fairly easy with easily accessible roads. The effect of the promotion of the area is that tourists come to the North Coast with different types of tour packages from travel agents and Flores tour guides.
Tour guides offered mountain biking tour packages along the south and north coasts, which is the step in Flores tourism trips. Before the pandemic, mountain biking packages are only available in central Flores.
Other than tourist attractions, food and beverage businesses and places to stay like inns, homestays, and hotels along Transflores street are filled with tourists. New tour packages are developed on the South Coast, which is spice tourism. There are also agribusinesses tourism such as coffee, cloves, and cocoa plantations are also available despite it is not that popular compared to other tourism in Flores.
The chairman of the Indonesian Tour Guides Association of Manggarai Regency, Yovie Jehabut, said that tourism on the island has been busy due to the number of tourists visiting. Which is exciting for everyone in the tourism sector like tour guides and travel agents in Flores. It also has a positive effect on other businesses such as warung, culinary stalls, and coffee shops.
This effect is also felt in the tourist village of Golo Loni in the Rana Mese District. Micro, small and middle businesses in the village is going smoothly due to tourists immediately buying materials from the locals. Local culinary delights have begun to thrive as tourists started to buy local food and snacks at the community businesses in the village.