Starting To Be Restricted, Visits To Komodo National Park Maximum 1,000 Tourists Per Day

Padar Island Destinations in the Komodo National Park (TNK) area in West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). (ANTARA)

LABUAN BAJO - Komodo National Park Center (BTNK) has conducted observations in land areas and sea waters in the Komodo National Park (TNK) area to prepare for the implementation of the tourist quota system entering the area.

"Yesterday we started observing how we plan to quota 300-330 visitors per session for Padar Island and we already have an idea of the planned implementation of the quota," said Head of BTNK Hendrikus Rani Siga, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, October 16.

The tourist quota system entering the TNK is a response to many tourists visiting Padar Island which risks exceeding the capacity (DDDT) of the area.

Visit arrangements will be made with restrictions on 1,000 tourists per day in force for the TNK area to reduce the threat of environmental degradation.

He explained that the restrictions on 1,000 tourists per day are divided into three time sessions through the Si Ora application, namely the first session at 05.00-08.00 WITA, the second session at 08.00-11.00 WITA, and the third session at 15.00-18.00 WITA.

In observations conducted on Padar Island, his party found that the capacity of 1,000 tourists per day is possible to be carried out on the island. When arranged in the range of 300-330 tourists per session, Padar Island is still said to be comfortable with tourists.

The pattern of visits that have been occurring on Padar Island based on BTNK observations is divided into two sessions, namely the first session at 05.00-07.00 WITA tourists will board Padar Island and return to the Padar Island pier at 07.00-08.00 WITA.

The second session occurred at 08.00-09.00 WITA. In this session, visitors who use fast boats are dominated more. Visitors in this session will return to the dock after enjoying the natural beauty of Padar Island at 09.00-10.00 WITA.

"When the number of 1,000 visits is arranged in the range of 300-330 per session, it can be said that it is still comfortable for visitors," he said.

For marine waters, BTNK in observation found the location of the Batu Bolong dive was a dive location that tourists liked.

However, there are special arrangements by tourist actors where each group of divers is given 20 minutes to dive, in order to prevent the buildup of divers at the dive site.

"20 minutes this rule is waiting time, so 20 minutes wait first after that the group of divers then dived down, for example one ship came and he wanted to dive in that site, so he had to wait for 20 minutes so there was no buildup," he said.